


Golden Bands and Purple Flame

by bittersweetangstlord, Salt_Queen



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Good Lotor (Voltron), Light Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sendak is not an asshole, Zarkon (Voltron) Being an Asshole, good sendak, plot with some porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-06-29 10:19:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 54,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19828114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersweetangstlord/pseuds/bittersweetangstlord, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salt_Queen/pseuds/Salt_Queen
Summary: When Zarkon decides to arrange a marriage between Lotor and Sendak in order to transfer Lotor's status to a more preferred heir apparent, Sendak is... less than pleased. He had never really liked Lotor, whom he had been set up against as a rival since they were children, and all of the honors he was supposedly receiving were ultimately empty and meaningless. Why would he want to be trapped in a loveless marriage?Of course, there is no defying the emperor. He and Lotor will simply have to find a way to live and work together, no matter how frustrating that may be. And if they eventually warm up to each other, well... only time will tell.





	1. An Arrangement, of Sorts

**Author's Note:**

> As a heads-up, some later chapters will contain heavier content, but warnings will be given at the top of each. No warnings apply for this chapter.
> 
> This has been one hell of a ride for both of us authors, writing this together (mostly through roleplay!), but we finally have it all finished, and we're planning to post frequently. We hope you enjoy it!

According to all those wishing Sendak well, today was supposed to be the most joyous day of his life, or, at least, the most bright and hopeful. Sure, everyone could understand that the young commander was more of a career-focused man, but marriage was a new start, a new chapter in a successful life, a new future…

If anyone believed that, they were a fool. All of that bright optimism was as much a lie as Sendak’s marriage was.

By all rights, he should have had his pick of anyone he wanted. His parents were well-known war heroes who died in battle during glorious conquest for the empire. He was raised by his grandfather, a decorated veteran in his own right. And, most notably of all, he had somehow attracted the attention of the emperor himself, who had decided to show favor to the young lad and provide for him everything he would need to excel, including the best training the empire could offer.

Of course, Zarkon’s favor was far from benign. He had his own purposes. It was quite obvious that he simply picked Sendak from among the other lads his age due to his parentage and that if Zarkon had not chosen him, he would have selected someone else, because his goal was to find a training partner for the young Prince Lotor.

_Stated_ goal, anyways. It didn’t take a genius to realize that Zarkon never intended for Lotor to really be trained properly. Though Lotor was the prince, Sendak was the one who would receive more attention from the ones training them, so it was no surprise that he excelled. He received praise from the teachers – and even the emperor – while Lotor was constantly belittled and told that he should be more like the promising young soldier-in-training. Due to this, Lotor and Sendak grew up set up as rivals, if they could be considered ‘rivals’ when Sendak had such a clear advantage. They were set up against each other, often forced to spar, and Sendak usually won, which of course earned him even more favor.

Sendak, for his part, had mixed feelings about being so preferred by the emperor. It was beneficial, yes, but it was also... uncomfortable. He didn't really _care_ about Lotor, but even he couldn't help but pity the prince as he tried so hard to appease Zarkon. And all of Sendak's peers knew that Sendak didn't _really_ do anything to earn all of this favor. He was, in effect, simply riding on his parents’ glory.

So when Sendak was informed that he was being given pretty much the greatest honor the emperor could give him, the honor of marrying Lotor and becoming a prince via marriage... well, _outwardly_ , he acted pleased, but he was honestly far from thrilled. _Really?_ Yet another thing handed to him on a silver platter?? For _what?!_ Sendak considered himself a man of honor, but he knew that despite his excellent performance in training and in the field, first as a soldier and then an officer and now a commander, he wasn't _that_ much better than his peers to earn a privilege like this. He didn't do some grand act of heroism. He didn't _deserve_ this honor.

And honestly? The honor was empty, anyways. The position of "prince" meant nothing when the emperor was immortal and untouchable and uninterested in sharing power. And any desire Sendak might have otherwise had for Lotor, beautiful as he was, had been poisoned by years of forced rivalry and bitter resentment.

Just a couple more things for Sendak's peers to be jealous of. Just another reason why Sendak was the "golden boy", the emperor's little lapdog, given all the favor for none of the effort.

Mad as he was about this, Sendak knew the person _least_ deserving of any of his anger was Lotor. It was clear to Sendak, and probably to everyone, that Lotor was _extremely_ displeased with this arrangement. So, privately, Sendak talked to him about it.

_"Look, I'm just about as unhappy with this as you are,"_ he told his rival. _"But you know just as well as I do that nobody says no to your father. Let's just go through with this, get married, and then just keep up a front when we're around other people. I won't touch you in private. I won't even talk to you if you don't want me to."_

Lotor seemed... somewhat calmer after that. He agreed to Sendak's "deal," and throughout their short betrothal period, the two of them had feigned happiness in front of their various (mostly sarcastic) well-wishers.

Now, the day of their actual wedding had come, and Sendak felt like he was going to be sick. There had been no rehearsal, no preparation. He had simply been left to assume that things would _probably_ go the same as usual for Galra weddings. But now, here he was, standing on the dais, and he knew that something was terribly wrong.

Galra weddings were highly symbolic, built out of eons of shifting cultural norms and priorities. Everything from clothing to the golden bands exchanged during the ceremony right down to the positions of the couple’s hands while reciting their vows carried meaning, and one of the clearest and most obvious pieces of symbolism was the traditional dais. In marriages between Galra of different classes or different military ranks, the higher-class or higher-ranked spouse would stand on the dais, illustrating their superior position. The other marital partner would walk down the center aisle of the wedding attendees and approach the dais before climbing the steps to reach their soon-to-be spouse, symbolic of being brought up to that level.

By all rights, Lotor should have been the one on the dais. He was _royalty_ , after all. Sendak had military power and class prestige, yes, but he wasn’t (yet) a prince. Wasn’t that the point of this marriage, to allow him to share that title? And yet the symbolism was being set up the other way, like Sendak was _already_ the worthy heir and Lotor was the one who had to try to rise to his level.

Then, Lotor appeared at the end of the aisle, and Sendak’s jaw dropped… and not in a good way. Oh, sure, Lotor certainly looked stunning, but he looked _wrong_ . Soldiers and officers alike always, _always_ wore armor to their own wedding -- beautifully polished, ornate, ceremonial armor, yes, but _armor_ . Even veterans wore armor. Only Galra who had been civilians for their whole lives wore non-armored clothing. And yet Lotor, despite having done military service in the past, despite having shown great tactical prowess, was clothed in a lightweight dress made of rather revealing cloth, something no soldier or veteran would _ever_ wear.

And something no _man_ would ever wear, either, or even a modern woman, for that matter. Gendered clothing was mostly a thing of the past, as Galra women typically preferred to make themselves as equal as possible to their male counterparts in every way, right down to how they dressed. Over-femininity was regarded as weak and dishonorable, and yet here the prince was, dressed in the most excessively feminine thing that Sendak could have possibly imagined, complete with layers upon layers of shimmering jewels and glitter and body chains, lacking only a necklace, over the sheer white fabric of his dress.

Lotor walked down the aisle with his head held high, yet it escaped no one’s notice that he walked alone. According to tradition, he should have been flanked by at least one trusted friend to show the connections and strength of alliances that he brought to the marriage, but the prince ironically had no one, and Sendak’s nausea worsened as he realized just how true that actually was. For all his position and power afforded him, did Lotor have even a single friend? As far as Sendak knew, _he_ was the only companion Lotor’s own age that the prince was allowed to interact with regularly, and they were far from friends.

The idea was sickening, and Sendak’s unease was compounded by how the prince’s loneliness was being publicized in this way. Surely they could have had him backed by a few bodyguards, right? And yet… the prince was on his own. It had to be deliberate, a way to show that no one was willing to support _him_ apart from his father.

As Lotor reached the dais and climbed up the steps, Sendak held out his hands toward him, palm up. This, too, was loaded in symbolism, but it was symbolism that Sendak didn’t dare try to subvert. Lotor was the smaller and ‘weaker’ partner, so Sendak was expected to physically support his hands as a metaphor for his role in the relationship, and to do otherwise would reflect badly on them both.

Finally, _finally_ , the person officiating the ceremony began speaking, going through all of the usual rituals for a wedding ceremony. There was little that Sendak and Lotor had to do for the moment being, so Sendak took a moment to just look at the prince and to see how he was faring.

Lotor’s expression was… closed-off. Cold. Proud. Sendak expected no less. He found himself now admiring Lotor in a way he hadn’t before. He was used to only seeing Lotor in moments of vulnerability, in the sparring ring where the small half-breed couldn’t hide his lack of physical strength, not against an opponent as strong and as tactically skilled as Sendak. Even then, Lotor had rarely shown any signs of pain or emotional upset, but it was hard for anyone to look dignified while sprawled out on the floor of a sparring ring. Now, he was every inch the prince he should have been respected as, and Sendak could appreciate how hard it must have been for him to endure this public humiliation and act as though nothing was wrong whatsoever.

The officiator of the ceremony droned on, but Sendak only half-listened until it was time for him to recite his vows. This, too, was carefully calculated to show off as clearly as possible how much more power and favor Sendak held. Galran vows had shifted over time to be more equal and mutually supportive, so Sendak felt sick to hear an older set, one which placed him clearly in the protective role. One such line was, “I vow to love and protect you, and to guide you for the rest of your days.” He said it, but he didn’t mean it at all. Lotor needed little protection and no guidance, and Sendak was quite certain he would never love him.

The mirroring set of vows for Lotor were, predictably, just as bad. Lotor somehow kept his tone of voice steady and unbothered and even sincere-sounding throughout all of it, even lines such as, “I vow to respect and submit to you, and to follow your lead for the rest of your days.” The prince looked Sendak right in the eyes as he said it, and Sendak was certain that he was the only one who could see the flicker of anger behind that false smile.

Then, the officiator of the ceremony called for the golden bands to mark the union. An unfamiliar assistant stepped up with a velvet cushion, and resting on top of that, there were two golden bands. One, as Sendak expected, was a wrist cuff, but the other? It was a… collar. A delicate, beautifully engraved collar, but a collar nonetheless. Necklaces were permitted, if archaic, symbols for a marital union, but this one was clearly designed to be as humiliating as possible, much to Sendak’s disgust. He could see that Lotor also looked displeased, though it manifested only through a slight downturn at the corners of his mouth and a narrowing of his eyes. Otherwise, his face was as impassive as ever.

As was expected of him, Sendak picked up the necklace, and Lotor bowed his head as Sendak encircled it around his slender neck. In keeping with tradition, Sendak recited the usual vow that went along with this step: “From this moment on, you are mine, until my body is consumed by the Final Flame.” With that, he fastened the necklace before standing up straight again and seeing how it looked on Lotor.  
  
It matched well with the rest of his jewelry, completing an aesthetic better suited to an enslaved concubine than to a prince and groom or even to a bride. Anger simmered in Sendak’s chest, both on Lotor’s behalf and for his own honor. This was doing him no favors to have his marriage turned into a mockery.

Then, the officiator picked up the cuff and made to place it on Sendak’s wrist, but he pulled back and openly shot him a glare. “Shouldn’t my _husband_ give it to me?” he hissed, too quietly for the recording devices all around them to pick up but loud enough that both Lotor and the officiator could hear clearly.

Looking displeased, the officiator handed it over to Lotor. The prince looked wary and uncertain, but he fastened it around Sendak’s left wrist. Although it looked very lovely, it was tight, as tight as a prison cuff. What a perfect metaphor for this whole ordeal, appearing to be an honor but, in reality, being nothing more than a trap.

Before Lotor could withdraw his hand, Sendak gave him a meaningful look, and Lotor recited the line as well. His words rang hollow in Sendak’s ears, but the point was made. Sendak did _not_ want their final vows to be one-sided. 

Finally, the officiator took the traditional golden chain and attached it to both Lotor’s necklace and Sendak’s cuff to represent their union. Superstition dictated that if the chain was removed before the couple left the reception or if it snapped for any reason, the marriage was doomed. Sendak couldn’t wait to break it.

The officiator said the final lines, and Sendak and Lotor shared a brief and entirely passionless kiss before turning to face the crowd. They cheered, but it all rang hollow in Sendak’s ears. He knew what they wanted from him, what they wanted to see. They wanted him to lead Lotor and drag him along or to put a possessive hand on the back of his neck and claim him, but Sendak instead offered his hand palm-up to Lotor. The prince’s expression was unreadable, but he took Sendak’s hand, and the two of them walked down the aisle and out of the room together.

As everyone filed into the reception hall, Sendak and Lotor had a few moments alone together. Lotor wasn’t looking at him, simply staring at the ground with a sullen expression as the awkwardness between them grew.

Sendak cleared his throat. “That wasn’t my idea,” he said quickly. “None of it was.”

Lotor’s vivid eyes locked onto him, but he said nothing. He looked angry and hurt, and it certainly didn’t seem like he believed Sendak.

The commander sighed. “I’m just as unhappy about this as you are. It doesn’t bring me any honor to have my wedding be so mocking like this, does it?” He shook his head in frustration. “Besides, we’re married now. We’re supposed to share honor. I’m supposed to _defend_ your honor. I swear to you, Lotor, I wouldn’t have chosen this.”

For a moment, Lotor continued to glare, but then his eyes softened a little. “Let’s just get this over with,” he mumbled. “We have a reception to attend.” He grabbed Sendak’s hand and started pulling him toward the reception hall.

“Wait.” Sendak planted his feet, forcing Lotor to stop as well. He wanted to point out that Lotor still looked visibly upset, but he also didn’t want to offend him. “Just, uh… give me a dobosh to compose myself.” Perhaps he could get the point across without being accusatory. “I just need a few ticks before I’ll be able to force a convincing smile.”

Lotor nodded, and he let go of Sendak before taking a few deep breaths and schooling his expression into a small and pleasant smile. Sendak similarly forced his expression into something relaxed and easygoing. Then, hand in hand, they walked out into the reception.

They endured the traditional toast, the two newlyweds taking turns drinking out of the same cup – Sendak wanted to let Lotor drink first, but Lotor gave him a pointed look until Sendak did as was surely expected of him and took the first sip each time with each new toast. Then, the food was served, and they shared food off of one plate and fed each other, which Sendak found awkward but Lotor seemed to take in stride. Finally, with all of the ceremony out of the way, the two were free to eat and drink normally and freely while various guests came up and spoke with them.

The bulk of them were the same, mostly sarcastic well-wishers from their brief betrothal period come to congratulate them, but others were less civil. When the third officer came along to make severely inappropriate remarks about Lotor, expecting Sendak to join in on his mockery of the prince, he could feel the rage thrumming through his blood like a physical entity. 

He was balling his fists about to stand up and teach the man a lesson when he felt a hand on his upper arm and looked over to see Lotor with a serene and polite expression on his face that didn’t match the claws digging into his bicep. “I’m sure my husband will take good care of me,” he said with a sincere-looking smile that he maintained effortlessly even after the officer had left. 

It hit Sendak suddenly that while Lotor wasn’t strong enough to defeat him in the sparring ring, he excelled at this type of warfare. It required a wholly different type of strength to navigate, but Lotor seemed in his element, as if he’d been playing this game all his life. He probably _had_ been. How many insults followed Lotor through the corridors? How often did he put on that mask of indifference and ignored the jab in favor of furthering his goal? It was a strength he was completely unfamiliar with. He felt his respect for Lotor grow by the second as he contemplated it.

Nodding at Lotor, he settled back down. Thankfully, the rest of the reception went by without further incidents. 

When they finally left the reception, Sendak and Lotor walked hand in hand toward their new shared room as commanders and officers cheered for them with varying degrees of sincerity. Lotor pretended to be at ease, nodding in acknowledgement and waving to their well-wishers, but his grip on Sendak’s hand belied his serene smile. Likewise, Sendak walked with a confidence that he didn't feel, smiling proudly to hide his anger.

As soon as they reached the room and the door closed behind them, Sendak snapped the golden chain connecting them. He knew anyone else would be horrified at this due to the superstition surrounding it, but Lotor dropped his smile and eyed the broken ends with a satisfied gleam in his eye before ripping the “necklace” off of himself with the same bitter vigor, letting his anger show through. He then immediately started pulling off the rest of the chains and jewels he had been adorned with, breaking some of them in his haste to get them off.

Sendak started to remove his own formalwear, beginning with that accursed golden cuff. The rest of his outfit was more reasonable, just ornamental armor, but he still wanted it _off_. He was about halfway through this process when he noticed that one of the ornaments Lotor had in his hair was stuck, tangled in the long strands, and Lotor was recklessly trying to pull it free.

“Stop,” Sendak said, grabbing Lotor’s hand gently yet firmly to keep him from continuing to try to yank the hairpiece out.

“I just–” Lotor’s voice was uncharacteristically high and tight, and the way he cut himself off worried Sendak.

Sendak slowly peeled Lotor’s fingers off of the hairpiece and pulled his hand away. “Let me detangle it.”

“Fine.” Lotor set to work removing other pieces of jewelry, though he was notably more careful about it now.

The long strands of Lotor’s hair were wound tightly around the hairpiece, and Sendak’s fingers weren’t small or deft by any means, so he had to use his claws as delicately as possible to get between the locks of hair and the metal of the ornament. Finally, after a long moment, he managed to get it free, just as Lotor finished up with the rest of the jewelry. “There.”

Lotor eyed him with suspicion. “Thanks. I’m going to take a shower.” He looked like he was ready to argue, as though he expected Sendak to challenge him in some way.

Sendak simply shrugged and gestured for him to go ahead. “Alright, fine by me.” He finished removing his armor and then headed further into the apartment, exploring their new shared home. It was luxuriously large by Galra standards, what with a whole living and dining area, a decent kitchen, a guest bathroom, and a separate attached master suite. Sendak had seen how people lived on planets, with entire houses containing multiple rooms, but on a Galra ship, a suite this size was the height of luxury.

Set out on the table was a bottle of _kalix_ and two fancy glasses. Sendak usually preferred shots of z _iker_ or a mug of some good old-fashioned _nunvil_ , or, for fancier occasions, even a bottle of some good wine or _vini_ , but alcohol was alcohol, and _kalix_ was too rare of a treat to pass up. He poured himself a full glass and wandered over to the couch. Hopefully there would be something good available for entertainment on the viewscreens, because he wanted nothing more at the moment than to numb his mind so that he wouldn’t have to think about how he’d respond to the jeers from his fellow commanders when his honeymoon was over.

He was in the middle of watching a supremely mind-numbingly stupid Bi-Boh-Bii “stick-com,” not even bothering to read the Galra translation subtitles, when Lotor came out into the room looking vaguely like a drowned cat, what with his long hair still wet and tangled and with his highly displeased expression. He was draped in a robe that was laughably large on him in a way that was almost cute, and it negated the effect of his glare.

Sendak gestured to the other end of the long couch. “Have a seat – there’s enough to go around.” He didn’t know if he was talking about the space on the couch or the liquor. Both perhaps.

Looking more suspicious than angry, Lotor followed Sendak’s suggestion, pouring himself a full glass of _kalix_ before joining him on the couch. The two spent the rest of the night drinking in silence, watching whatever shows happened to come on the entertainment screen.

Eventually, due to a mixture of the late hour and the alcohol in his veins, Sendak grew tired. Judging by his blank, tired expression and his increasingly long blinks, Lotor wasn’t any better off. “Go on,” Sendak told him, motioning toward the bedroom. “I’ll sleep here.”

Lotor eyed the couch, then looked down the hall toward the bedroom. “That seems unnecessary,” he said slowly and with hesitation. “I saw the bedroom earlier, and the bed has more than enough space for us both. We could just divide it somehow.”

Sendak felt quite surprised, and he furrowed his eyebrows at he looked questioningly toward Lotor. “Are you sure? I really don’t mind the couch.”

“It’s fine.” Lotor went ahead to the bedroom, and Sendak hesitated for a moment before following behind him. When he reached the room, he found Lotor already piling pillows into the middle of the admittedly huge bed. He had a decent stack within just a few doboshes, set up in the middle of the bed to divide it into two sides.

Admittedly, it wasn’t a bad idea. The stack of pillows was high enough that they wouldn’t even be able to see each other on opposite sides of the bed. Sendak flopped down on one side to test it out, and he had to admit that even this one-third of the bed was still larger and far more comfortable than most bunks he’d slept in.

“Well?” Lotor prompted.

“I like the idea if you do,” Sendak answered neutrally. “As long as you’re comfortable with it.”

“It’s fine.”

Sendak wasn’t entirely sure that it _was_ fine, but he decided not to argue. It had been more than enough of a day for them both already.

After getting himself ready for bed, Sendak returned to his side and laid down, pulling the sheets up over his eyes to block out the room light. He was sure that Lotor would get the light when he laid down as well. Exhausted from the day, however, and from the alcohol in his veins, Sendak fell asleep before Lotor could return to the room.


	2. Common Decency

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains some potentially uncomfortable content that is not covered by the work's tags (mostly because we didn't want the tags to give the wrong idea, as putting an "attempted sexual assault" tag on a Lodak fic might suggest a completely different relationship dynamic than what's really happening here). As such, we're just warning you here that this chapter contains aphrodisiacs/date-rape drugs and attempted sexual assault from a nameless character as well as attempted sexual activity initiated by a person under the influence of said drugs.
> 
> If you want to know exactly what happens before reading, or you think you may need to skip this chapter, there is a full summary in the end notes.

The next few phoebs were... quiet. They had some fights here and there as they tried to get used to sharing a living space, but they mostly just avoided each other until they slowly learned to coexist. Outside of their quarters, they tried to avoid ending up in the same place at the same time, but whenever they did, they feigned delight and greeted each other with a hug and a kiss or an affectionate nuzzle to keep up appearances in front of everyone else.

Sendak pretty quickly learned about some of Lotor's secrets and more illicit activities. The mildest of these – so, naturally, the one he tried least to hide from Sendak – was his tendency to sneak off and go to illegal clubs. Honestly, Sendak wasn't sure what exactly Lotor _did_ at these establishments. If there was one thing Sendak could be fairly certain about Lotor, it was that "loss of control" would not be appealing to him, so Sendak was about 90% certain that this was more about networking with the criminal underground of the empire than about going out and having a good time. 

On one such evening, Sendak came back to their shared apartment to find Lotor gone without any note or explanation, but he wasn’t particularly concerned. He knew that Lotor could handle himself and, besides, what he did wasn’t any of Sendak’s business. The commander poured himself a drink and sat down in front of the entertainment screen to unwind for the night.

A couple of vargas later, his communicator beeped with the tone reserved only for urgent messages. Concerned, he picked it up and checked it onto to find that the alert was for an incoming audio call from Lotor – which was strange, as Lotor _always_ preferred text to be more discreet. Still, Sendak answered the call, wondering what exactly was going on. “Lotor?”

“Ssssend’k, I don’ feel… don’ feel so good…” Lotor sounded _wasted_. Sendak had seen this tiny twunk literally less than half his weight down just as much alcohol as him and not even sound a little tipsy, but now Lotor sounded like he was about to pass out at any second.

“How much have you had to drink?!”

“Jus’... two, I think? Don’ feel right. Head all… fuzzy and shit.” Lotor had to be _very_ intoxicated to swear so freely. “Not quite right… not drunk. Drugged.”

Sendak’s blood ran cold. “ _Drugged?_ ”

“Think so… feels like it. Some creep’s been, uh… been eyein’ me up all night. Thought I was careful enough.” He laughed weakly. “Apparently not.”

 _That_ certainly kicked Sendak into action. Sure, he and Lotor weren’t close or even friends, but Sendak considered himself to be an honorable man and a good soldier. He’d protect anyone who needed it, and right now, that person was Lotor. Without any further hesitation, he started pulling on his discarded armor. As he dressed, he asked, “Where are you, Lotor? Send me your location.”

“Mmkay.” A few seconds later, navigation coordinates popped up on the screen.

“Good,” Sendak assured him after verifying that the coordinates were enough for his comm to work from. “I’m on my way. Do you want to keep the line open?”

“Thanks, ‘n nahhh, I’ll be fine.” Lotor didn’t really sound like he was in a good mental state to make that call. “Told th’ bartender shit ain’t right. He’s gonna keep ‘n eye on me, make sure creep-o stays away.”

That wasn’t particularly reassuring to Sendak, but before he could argue, Lotor closed the line. Sendak figured the best thing he could do would be to get there as soon as possible, so he hurried to a ship and headed out.

He reached the location just 15 doboshes later, parking his ship outside of a _very_ sketchy-looking establishment. A bouncer tried to stop him at the door, but Sendak pushed the guy out of the way. Looking around, he saw that most of the clients seemed to be Galra, but several looked like half-breeds, and there were a few that didn’t look Galra at all.

Lotor was sitting on a stool up at the bar, weakly trying to push away a large Galra male who was clearly invading his personal space. The bartender was currently chatting up another client, clearly unconcerned about this scene, and Sendak cursed. He _knew_ that he should have stayed on the comm line with Lotor.

As he approached, he heard the other Galra muttering darkly, “ _Don’t worry, doll, it’ll kick in real soon, and then you’ll want it for sure._ ” If there were any ambiguity about what he meant, the hand that slid down Lotor’s back and pinched his ass surely dispelled all doubts.

Seeing red, Sendak closed the rest of the distance quickly and immediately punched the man directly in the jaw, knocking him back while, at the same time, Sendak grabbed Lotor by the shoulders to pull him away from the man. The other Galra hit the floor and quickly scrambled to his feet, snarling at Sendak, but the man was drunk and clearly smaller and weaker than Sendak – certainly not a threat to the young commander. Under any other circumstances, Sendak was sure that Lotor would have been able to fight him off easily, but as it was, Lotor seemed barely conscious.

The stranger took a step forward, but Sendak growled at him. “Get away from him. He’s _mine_ , and if you touch him again, I will _end_ you.”

“Fuck off. If he’s yours, what was he doing drinking here alone then, huh?” The prick sneered. “You shouldn’t let such a pretty toy wander off where someone could mistake it as being open for the taking.”

Sendak's fist flew before he'd even consciously processed what the man was saying. The drunkard tried to block, but his defense was slow and sloppy, and he ended up unbalanced. It was simple for Sendak to sweep his feet out from under him and to plant a boot on his chest.

“He is a _person_ .” Sendak bent down to growl in the bastard's face. “ _And if you disrespect him again, I will rip your dick off and shove it down your throat._ ”

Finally, some sense seemed to hit the drunkard, and he swallowed nervously before nodding. As soon as Sendak let him up, the man scrambled away, retreating to the other side of the bar.

Sendak turned his attention to Lotor, who looked to be on the verge of passing out on the counter. Though he didn't want to make him uncomfortable, he knew that Lotor couldn't walk like this, so he gingerly picked him up and carried him out the door. He wasn’t sure whether he was relieved or dismayed that no one tried to stop him or verify that he was Lotor's emergency contact. As much as he didn't want to explain his and Lotor's identities to someone, the lack of concern was... unsettling.

Setting Lotor down in the general passenger area of the ship, Sendak then hurried to the cockpit to take off as quickly as possible, not wanting to spend any more time at this barbaric scumhole. He guided the ship out into space and set a course for Galra Central Command before turning on the autopilot.

With all that taken care of, he then turned his attention to Lotor. He pulled out the medkit onboard and looked up procedures for unknown drugs. Following the medical manual, he pulled out a small vial of liquid that would force a person to throw up, and he handed it over to Lotor. “Here, drink this.”

Lotor sleepily accepted the vial, though he just blinked at it uncomprehendingly. He looked completely checked out, awake but not conscious.

Sendak took the vial back from him and uncapped it, holding it in one hand as he used his other hand to gently direct Lotor to tilt his head back. “Just open your mouth.”

It seemed that Lotor had at least enough awareness to follow that simple order. Sendak poured the liquid in, and Lotor swallowed by reflex.

“There you go.” Sendak turned and grabbed a biowaste bag out of the medkit, holding it open for Lotor. He wasn’t sure how long it would–

Lotor convulsed, and Sendak gingerly reached over to pull his hair out of his face with one hand while holding the bag with the other, trying to make sure that Lotor didn’t make a mess of himself. This continued for a couple of doboshes, and by the end, Lotor was a shivering wreck.

Sendak sealed the biohazard bag and grabbed a water pouch, stabbing a straw through it and offering it to Lotor. “Here. Drink this and lie down.”

It seemed that Lotor had just enough awareness to accept the drink, sipping at it through the straw. Sendak directed him to settle in on the benches and even laid an emergency blanket over him. 

Satisfied that he’d done what he could for Lotor, Sendak returned to the cockpit. He glanced back to check on him, but Lotor remained lying down, so Sendak figured that he would probably be fine without supervision.

Just a few doboshes later, however, Lotor appeared in the cockpit, having apparently stripped off half of the outfit he'd worn to the club. Mercifully to Sendak, Lotor was still wearing pants, so it wasn’t like Sendak was getting an eyeful of anything he hadn't seen before back in their old sparring days, but it was still very, very unnerving to see Lotor so... unprotected. Even in their apartment, Lotor never went topless, so Sendak knew that something was very, very off about this.

“Sennnd’k,” he slurred, stumbling over to him and leaning heavily on his shoulder, “I feel hot…”

Confused, Sendak touched Lotor’s forehead, trying to determine his temperature. He _did_ feel a little flushed, but certainly not feverish. What–

“ _Ohhh_ , that feels _good_.” Before Sendak knew what was happening, Lotor crawled into his lap, straddling his hips. “More of that,” he begged, looking somehow delirious and desirous at once.

“Fuck.”

Lotor’s eyes widened. “Yessssss, good idea…!”

“No! Not like–” Sendak growled with frustration. He’d heard of aphrodisiacs like this before, unnatural blends of drugs and Quintessence meant to short-circuit the mind and control it to force it to want sex above all else, but that didn’t mean that he knew what to do here. Lotor was reacting _very_ strongly to this, unusually so according to Sendak’s admittedly very limited knowledge on the subject.

While Sendak wondered what to do, Lotor started reaching for the clasps of Sendak's armor, and the commander immediately grabbed Lotor's hands to stop him. Since the prince was very obviously not in his right mind, Sendak knew that he’d have to forcibly stop him from doing something that they’d both regret, assuming that Lotor even remembered this later.

Picking Lotor up as carefully as possible, Sendak carried him back into the passenger area and handcuffed him to the seats to force him to stay put and to keep him from removing any more clothing. Thankfully, since this small transport ship was military-grade, it was designed with extendable bars that cuffs could attach to in order to hold prisoners.

Now that Sendak knew that the drug Lotor was given was an _aphrodisiac_ and had a rough estimate of how long it took to kick in, he looked up those exact effects and referenced them against a list of common drugs. He quickly figured out which one Lotor had all of the symptoms of, and _thankfully_ , there was an antidote in the medkit that could counter its effects. He quickly administered the antidote just as they were getting back to Central Command. 

Next, he realized the slight problem of trying to sneak back to their apartment while Lotor was extremely drugged up…

Five minutes and a not-so-creative use of a shipping container later, he finally managed to get them both into the apartment without anyone seeing Lotor compromised like this.

While some of the drug's effects seemed to have lessened, Lotor was still very... _clingy_ . He snuggled into Sendak’s hold as he carried him to bed, and he whined as Sendak had to basically peel him off of himself to get him into bed. But finally, _finally_ , Lotor was safe and in bed. Within mere minutes, he was passed out cold.

That had been... an ordeal. Sendak sat down on the couch and poured himself another drink.

The next thing Sendak knew, he woke up to the sound and sight of Lotor, hungover, stumbling into the living room. Immediately, Sendak got up off of the couch – only then just realizing that he had fallen asleep there – and he hurried to Lotor’s side. “Here, sit down.” He directed Lotor to the couch, helping him to settle down. “Stay here while I get you some water.”

Lotor nodded blearily, and Sendak went into the kitchen, getting some water and pain medication before returning and holding them out to Lotor.

“Thank you.” Lotor accepted them from him, quickly taking the pills and sipping at the water.

Sendak shrugged. “It’s fine.”  
  
"No, I mean… I’m talking about more than just the water and pills." Lotor's hand shook just a little as he set the water down on the coffee table. "You did everything I would have asked you to if I were in my right mind, and I need you to know how relieved I am." His eyes met Sendak's, conveying a look of pure sincerity. "You came right away, you kept me from making a fool of myself, you didn't take advantage of my intoxicated state even when you could have easily done so, _and_ you kept this discrete instead of informing the medical staff and causing gossip." He reached out to take one of Sendak's hands, squeezing it lightly to show his gratitude before he let go and reached for the water again. "So, for all of that, thank you."

"I just did what I needed to," Sendak said easily, shaking his head. "I respect you, Lotor. Just as much as I'd respect any fellow officer, probably more so. This isn't the first time I've had to bail out a..." He trailed off, unsure what word to use.

"A comrade?" Lotor suggested. "A friend, perhaps?"

Sendak's expression softened. "Yeah. A friend." Somehow, that word didn't seem to quite describe what they were, but it was the best one he had.

Judging by the small smile Lotor gave him, it was the right thing to say. "It's funny, really. You were the last person I ever thought I would befriend and trust, but now I find myself very grateful for your companionship. You're a good man, Sendak. I feel I should apologize for taking so long to see it."

"I think it was silly that I ever resented you, honestly," Sendak admitted. "Our rivalry was completely fabricated by your father, and it hurt us both. Sometimes I wonder, if things had been different..."

"If things had been different, I doubt we would have been acquainted," Lotor pointed out. "As the prince, I interacted with few people my age, and never the same person for long, aside from you. But yes, I do think it is a shame that something beyond our control so thoroughly poisoned our opinions of each other. If it were not for this forced relationship now, I doubt I would have ever ceased hating you."

Sendak sat back, pondering that while Lotor sipped at his water. Finally, he asked, "Will this change anything between us? This whole... incident."

Lotor raised an eyebrow at him. "If so, I hope it would only change things for the better. I admit I have been rather closed-off to you. Perhaps we could develop a somewhat warmer relationship." 

"That would be... nice." Sendak admitted. He couldn't quite imagine what a 'warmer relationship' would even look like, but the idea of Lotor communicating with him better was a welcome one. Perhaps they could avoid a repeat of last night's incident.

Taking another sip, Lotor hummed in agreement. "Indeed."

Since they both had the day off, they spent most of it together, watching idle entertainment, doing some light training (though they mutually decided not to spar), and eating together. When they laid down to sleep, Sendak was surprised to hear a quiet " _Goodnight, Sendak_ " from the other side of the carefully-constructed pillow barrier.  
  
He found himself smiling, just a little. "Goodnight, Lotor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full-spoiler summary of chapter: It's a few months into their arranged marriage, and Sendak has found out that Lotor goes out to illegal clubs on a regular basis. On one such night, he later calls Sendak and tells him that he feels like he's been drugged. When Sendak gets there, he finds a stranger harassing Lotor and lightly molesting him while Lotor is too drugged up to push him away. Sendak carries Lotor out of there and back to the ship. After a few minutes, Lotor makes vaguely sexual advances on Sendak, clearly not in his right mind, and Sendak gives him an antidote to counter the aphrodisiac's effects. When morning comes, Lotor thanks Sendak for helping him and for not taking advantage of the situation, and they refer to one another as friends, though Sendak can't help but feel that doesn't quite sum up their relationship.


	3. It's... Complicated

After that, their relationship actually became markedly warmer. They started talking more casually in the mornings and evenings. Lotor made a point of greeting Sendak whenever they both got back to their apartment after work. He started doing little things around the apartment, taking care of some of Sendak's appointed chores whenever Sendak had a rough day, and Sendak reciprocated when he noticed that Lotor was stressed. Dinner slowly shifted from being something they ate separately to something they ate on the couch with Sendak watching the entertainment screen while Lotor read reports or whatever else on his tablet to something that, as many nights as not, they ate at the table so that they could face each other and talk the whole time.

Lotor went out on a couple of nights, but he informed Sendak ahead of time where he was going and how long he planned on being away, and he checked in regularly so that Sendak didn't have to wonder or worry, which Sendak appreciated. He still worried when Lotor was out, but having the updates helped.

He noticed, vaguely, that Lotor didn't stay out long anymore, that he came back sober and looking vaguely tired, almost disappointed, like he hadn’t gotten whatever he’d gone out for. Sendak wondered if it was because Lotor was still bothered by the incident from before.

But one evening, a few months after that incident, Lotor surprised him. They were sitting down to dinner, and Sendak knew that Lotor was planning to go out that night, but then Lotor asked, "What do you think I usually do when I go out?"

The question caught Sendak off-guard. "You... you seem to drink a little. Maybe dance. Maybe chat people up. Networking? I assume there's got to be a reason you pick the shadiest places in the galaxy. If anyone has reason to get involved with the criminal underground, it'd be you."

Lotor laughed a little. "That's all true. I also hook up with people fairly often. I consider it... stress relief."

Sendak's eyebrows went up a little. For some reason, the idea of Prince Lotor the Secret Black Market Trader or Prince Lotor the Rebel Criminal seemed a lot more likely in his mind than Prince Lotor the Secret Slut, but, well, he supposed that everyone had their pet vices. More surprising than Lotor's admission was the strange pang of... _something_ that bothered Sendak at the thought of Lotor with some random stranger. Call it protectiveness, perhaps. He didn't like the idea of Lotor being so vulnerable with someone untrustworthy, yes, that must have been it.

After assessing Sendak's reaction, Lotor continued, "However, after that night a few months ago, I find the idea to be far less appealing. Not so much because of the incident itself, as that is not the first time something similar has happened–"

Sendak choked on air, and he looked at Lotor wide-eyed.

“–but rather because it caused me to reassess my options," Lotor continued, disregarding Sendak's reaction.

"What do you mean," Sendak asked, speaking slowly, "'reassess' your 'options'?"

Lotor took a sip of his drink, and Sendak wasn't sure whether he actually meant to wet his throat or whether he was just making Sendak wait for his answer (because if there was one thing that Lotor was not above doing, it was using subtle yet dramatic cues to take control of a conversation). Finally, he said, "I do not sleep around because I have any particular attraction to the idea of anonymous sex, merely because I have never before had someone I both trusted and felt attracted to. But now, I happen to live with someone whom I not only trust and enjoy the company of, not only feel moderate attraction to, but _also_ have a legal right to have intimate relations with..." He raised an eyebrow at Sendak, looking at him questioningly. "Seems like a convenient option, does it not? Of course, this requires you to be amenable to the offer."

It took Sendak a full ten ticks to process what Lotor was saying purely because the idea that he was suggesting what it sounded like he was suggesting seemed so absurd. "Wait, you... you want to have sex?" He gave Lotor an utterly confused look. "I thought 'no sex' was one of the conditions of our whole... truce."

"It was," Lotor admitted, "but that was back when this really was just a 'truce'." He pushed his plate and glass aside so that he could prop his elbows up on the table and lean forward, and, _oh_ , that made for a rather enticing image. "I laid down that rule because I did not want you to force yourself on me; however, you have already very definitively proved to me that you respect me. So, now, I feel that perhaps this could be an option for us, _if_ you like that idea. If not, then we can forget I ever said anything, and I will simply go to the club tonight as I initially planned."

Of all things, it was the idea of Lotor going back to the club that broke the haze in Sendak's mind. Whatever else he wanted, he knew that he did _not_ want Lotor going back there and ending up in the arms of a stranger. "No," he said firmly. "I mean, yes. I mean..." He huffed, trying to make words work properly. "Yeah, you're attractive. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it before. So if you want to--to sleep together, then yes. I'd be... 'amenable' to that."

Lotor smiled, looking pleased by that answer. "Good. I have one rule, however, one thing that needs to be very clear before we move forward with this."

Sendak felt apprehensive, and he caught himself swallowing almost nervously. "Yes?"

"This is _not_ me 'giving in' and finally accepting our forced marriage or anything of the like," Lotor said firmly, dropping any hint of pleasure or amusement in exchange for a cold glare and a closed-off expression. "This is convenience, not love."

Those words shouldn't have hurt. Somehow, they did. Still, there was only one right answer. "I understand. We're just friends with benefits, then?"

"Behind closed doors, yes." Lotor nodded, seeming to relax somewhat. "Friends with benefits who also happen to be keeping up the farce of a marriage."

"Sounds... complicated."

Lotor smiled wryly. "Welcome to my life."

"I've been having to deal with the shitshow that is your life for a long time now, my prince." Sendak held his glass out for a toast. "To 'complicated'?"

Smile shifting from wry to amused, Lotor accepted the toast. "To 'complicated."

After finishing off his dessert, Lotor sipped the last of his wine and set his glass down on the table with a very definitive _clink_ , as if to punctuate that dinner was now over. He gave Sendak a suggestive look, eyelids lowered and a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Well then," the prince purred, "are you ready to take this to the bedroom?"

Sendak froze. He hadn’t expected Lotor to be so... direct. Not yet, at least. Years as a military leader were the only thing that allowed him to recover quickly. He pushed his chair back and got up, inclining his head and holding his hand out for Lotor to take.

“Lead the way.”

Lotor accepted Sendak's hand and led him to the bedroom, hips swaying a little with every step. He radiated the self-assured aura of a man who knew what he wanted and was certain that he was about to get it.

Once they reached the room, he let go of Sendak's hand and turned to face him again, eyes roaming over Sendak's armored body. "Strip," he commanded, leaving no room for argument.

Sendak’s eyes darkened at Lotor’s tone. He made a show of removing each piece of his armor with the same care he intended to show Lotor tonight. It wouldn’t do to rush here.

After setting his things neatly in their place, he turned to Lotor, awaiting further instruction. He was aware that Lotor would appreciate taking the lead, as he likely wasn’t allowed much control by his usual partners. It was also a matter of trust, and Sendak wanted to do his best to be worthy of it.

Lotor gazed at him with open desire, taking in every detail of Sendak's body with an approving look. "Perfect." Then, glancing pointedly at the bed, he told Sendak, "Sit back. I'll be there in just a moment..." With that, he started to remove his own armor, taking off each piece with a sensual flair and turning the ordinarily boring process into a striptease.

Sendak sat on the bed and watched Lotor undress in an almost taunting fashion. Once he'd finished with the armor pieces, he rolled his bodysuit off at a teasingly slow pace, making Sendak wait. The commander could already feel himself getting hard as he watched Lotor pull his hair out of the way and roll the tight fabric of his suit off his skin in agonizingly slow motions. Fisting his hand in the sheets to keep himself grounded, he followed Lotor’s hands with his eyes. He couldn’t have torn his eyes away if he’d wanted to.

When Lotor finally pulled off the rest of his suit and looked to Sendak for his reaction, it took every ounce of his remarkable self control not to pounce on him. He wanted to run his hands over Lotor’s skin, through his hair. He wanted to get his lips on him, taste him.

Sendak swallowed and tried to control his breathing.

Lotor gave Sendak a smirk that was knowing, teasing. He sauntered over to the bed, swaying his hips in a smooth motion calculated specifically to draw Sendak's gaze. Every movement was fluid and graceful. He shamelessly let his eyes wander over every inch of Lotor. The sway of his hips accentuated his curves beautifully. He couldn’t get enough of the sight of him.

When he reached the bed, Lotor immediately climbed on, and within a mere couple of ticks, he was straddling Sendak's hips and smiling down at him with that same smirk. "You want me...?" he asked, though it really wasn't a question. With that self-satisfied smirk on his face and that sweet, lilting voice, it was clear that Lotor knew he already had Sendak's desire.

He restrained himself from touching Lotor’s elegant hips, so close to him. 

“Yes,” he whispered breathlessly. “Yes I do.”

" _Good_." Lotor's voice was low and smooth and sexy, full of desire. He placed one hand on Sendak's chest as he leaned over to his own nightstand and pulled out a small bottle of lube.

"Be patient," he warned as he poured some lube over his fingers. "Just watch. I'll tell you when you're allowed to touch." He brought his glistening fingers to his tight hole and teased at his own rim, watching Sendak's reactions as he did.

Sendak tightened his fists in the sheets and took in a sharp breath. He had never been known for his patience, but he prided himself on his discipline, so he remained still, following Lotor’s orders.

Lotor was strong and confident, completely poised and in control. It was hypnotizing. Sendak was laser-focused on Lotor’s every movement, and he felt like a predator that had become prey.

As he slipped his fingers into himself ever-so-slowly, Lotor never took his eyes off of Sendak's face. Even while working himself open, spreading his fingers and sliding in a third, his expression never wavered from self-confident amusement, seemingly pleased at how obedient Sendak was being.

After a few moments, Lotor finally pulled his fingers out and lined himself up over Sendak's cock. He hovered for just a moment, teasing, letting the very tip of it brush at his entrance. "Tell me how much you want me," he commanded, voice low and eyes dark with lust.

Sendak felt Lotor brush his hole over the tip of his cock and it made a low growl build in his chest. “I want you, Lotor, I _need_ you.” He released a shaky breath. “Please. Let me touch you. Let me taste you. You look so beautiful. I need to know what you feel like. _Please_ , Lotor.”

Looking into Lotor’s eyes, he found deep desire that nearly took his breath away. It was mesmerizing.

" _Good_ ," Lotor purred, finally beginning to sink down on Sendak's cock. He rolled his hips as he took each inch, and very quickly, he had taken all of it.

Bracing his hands on Sendak's abs, he moved his hips in a long, slow rolling motion, letting the commander's cock slide in and out of him. The feeling had Sendak throwing his head back. At last, Lotor gave Sendak an approving nod. "You can touch me now."

He was so tight and the heat of him was overwhelming. Even so, he managed to compose himself enough that when Lotor allowed him to touch him, he was ready. Sendak slowly raised an explorational right hand to Lotor’s ribcage and stroked it down his side, barely touching. He brought his other hand up Lotor’s left side, always barely touching, delighting in the soft feel of Lotor’s skin. Finally he raised his hands to plunge into Lotor’s fine hair and cup his jaw.

“You feel amazing,” he breathed.

Lotor smiled as he brought himself closer to Sendak, nearly laying down on his chest. "As do you," he replied with a small chuckle, grinding his hips down against Sendak's and forcing the Galra's large cock deeper into him.

Then, he started to pick up the pace, moving his hips in larger and faster motions. Sendak's cock moved in and out of him more quickly, and Lotor moaned, his smile taking on a hint of bliss at he blinked down at Sendak.

Lotor was tantalizing, moving in him like he wanted him to break. He gasped and growled, moaning each time Lotor ground down on him. He loved his skin, his laugh, his voice, how he draped himself a certain way to make Sendak moan. As he picked up the pace, all Sendak could do was groan and bury his head into Lotor’s shoulder and immediately get lost in Lotor’s eyes as he looked back up.

He breathed heavily. “Can I kiss you?”

Lotor's expression turned into one of surprise at Sendak's request, and he looked somewhat conflicted. His pace faltered briefly, though he quickly recovered, moving even faster than before.

Cupping the back of Sendak's head, he bared his neck for him and guided him there. "Not on the lips," he said softly. "Anywhere else is fine."

Sendak let his breath ghost over Lotor’s neck. _Fuck_ , he was so screwed. The way Lotor moved over him, the way he looked at him... at this rate this would be over in no time. _He didn’t want it to be over._

Placing his hands on Lotor’s hips, not to control his movements but to help steady him, he carefully rolled his hips in time with Lotor’s and simultaneously pressed his lips to his neck. He mouthed at the expanse of skin, trailing down Lotor’s throat to his shoulder, careful to keep his fangs out of the way.

Lotor let out a soft and deep moan, almost a groan, and he put even more force behind the movements of his hips. "Yes, _Sendak_ ," he breathed, as if he were afraid to be too loud. He brought one hand to Sendak's shoulder, digging in his small claws until the sharp pressure was just bordering on pain. With a sensual growl, he murmured, "Go ahead, _bite me_."

 _Fuck_ , he was so _screwed_. Lotor’s words went straight to his cock. 

He knew Lotor wouldn’t ask him for anything he couldn’t handle, but he still didn’t want to hurt him. Pressing an open-mouthed kiss to Lotor’s shoulder, he lightly grazed his fangs over his soft warm skin.

A shudder went through Lotor's body, and he whispered, " _Yes, more!_ " His nails dug just a little deeper into Sendak's skin. His breathing was turning ragged, and he clenched around Sendak's cock unevenly and without rhythm. "I'm close," he panted. "Sendak, please..."

Lotor’s voice and his sporadic clenching brought Sendak closer and closer to the edge, the sharp claws on his back contributing as well. But hearing the desperation in his voice as he said his name…

_Sendak, please..._

He sunk his fangs into Lotor’s supple skin and increased the speed of his thrusts. His climax hit him mercilessly, and he brought one hand to the back of Lotor’s head and the other to the firm curve of his ass, thrusting into him through the aftershocks.

Lotor gasped, and his whole body tensed and trembled as he clenched around Sendak's cock. He moaned, voice trailing off into a quiet groan. "S-Sendak..." Warm cum flowed onto both of their bodies as Lotor, too, reached his climax.

Then, the prince simply laid on top of Sendak for a long moment, almost completely relaxed aside from a few shudders from aftershocks. After a handful of ticks, he let go of Sendak's shoulder, removing his claws and leaving deep but not bleeding indents behind.

Sendak released his bite, kissing the mark softly, apologetically. He stroked his hands down Lotor’s back and sides, feeling the heat of his body. He was lithe and beautiful, and Sendak never wanted to stop touching him.

“That was–” He was panting. “Are you alright?”

"Mmm..." Lotor stirred, pushing himself up on his hands and looking down at Sendak, giving him a satisfied smile. "More than alright."

He eased himself up carefully off of Sendak's cock and rolled off of him. Slowly, he sat up and stretched before standing. "Due to your rather impressive size, I may be a little sore," he commented, giving Sendak a teasing smile, "but such is natural for sex as satisfying as that was."

Glancing from Sendak to the door, Lotor asked, "Would you like to wipe up with washcloths, or would you rather just take a shower?"

Sendak paused to take in the sight before him. Lotor was looking over his shoulder at him with a mischievous smile. It took a moment for his brain to resume functioning. He usually didn’t shower after sex because his partner preferred not to get up for a while but there was Lotor, arguably the smallest person he’d ever had the pleasure of bedding, standing effortlessly. It left him a little taken aback.

Lotor was still looking at him, waiting for an answer.

“A shower sounds nice but... are you sure you want to stand?”

Lotor laughed, lighthearted and without malice. "I think you may find me a little more durable than your average partner. Besides–" He stretched, arching his back and showing off his tight abs. "–I'm used to getting up and leaving after sex, so even merely being able to take a nice, hot shower and then to sleep together afterwards will be more than relaxing enough for me."

With that, he sauntered off into the attached bathroom, starting up the shower to get the water hot.

Sendak watched Lotor’s retreating swaying hips in awe. He was not one to gloat, but he’d never seen someone pick themselves up so quickly after he was done with them. He heard the water of the shower begin to flow and realized he was still on the bed. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he quickly followed Lotor to the bathroom.

By the time Sendak reached the bathroom, Lotor was already in the shower, letting the water flow over him and wash the cum off. He gave Sendak a smirk and an appraising look as he stepped aside to give him access to the showerhead.

"My apologies for messing up your fur," he quipped, not sounding at all apologetic. Mischief sparkled in his eyes as he offered, "Would you like me to _assist_ you in cleaning up?" His desirous gaze dropped down to Sendak's abdomen.

Sendak’s eyes widened at Lotor’s tone but he recovered quickly, cocking his head and smirking back. He handed Lotor the soap with a devilish smile. “If you insist.” He looked down at Lotor and allowed his eyes to darken. “But I insist on helping you as well.”

"If that's what you want, then of course." Lotor started working the soap up to a lather between his hands. "I will admit, it's been a long time since someone washed my hair for me, if you wouldn't mind."

Placing his soapy hands on Sendak's chest, he ran his fingers through the tufts of fur. He worked the soap outwards, up toward his broad shoulders and down his chiseled abs, leaving no spot uncovered by suds. As he worked, he subconsciously let his tongue poke ever-so-slightly out of his mouth, a testament to how focused he was on the large task in front of him.

Lotor’s fingers on his fur felt divine, his cleanings precise and dedicated. The little pink tongue that poked out of his mouth was positively adorable. A strong fondness overcame him, and he had the sudden urge to kiss it, but then he remembered Lotor’s rules. No kisses on the mouth. He would follow them, naturally, but he felt a small twinge of disappointment.

Lotor continued to explore his body in slow, even strokes, leaving no inch without soap. He couldn’t stop staring at him, his movements so fluid and graceful. He raised his hand to the bite mark on Lotor’s shoulder, running his finger over it. “You taste divine,” he said with a smirk.

Lotor smiled at the compliment, looking pleased and perhaps a little flustered. "I suppose this means you'd like another taste, then?" He smirked as he looked up and met Sendak's gaze.

By now, he was finished with washing Sendak's front. He held up one finger in the air and made a little twirling motion – a clear gesture for _'turn around'_ – before taking more of the soap and working to lather it up again.

Sendak smiled fondly and then did as Lotor asked, turning his back to him. “I suppose it does.” And it did. He did want a repeat of this. He found himself appreciating the ease and comfort of the shower even more than the sex, basking in the small space and time where there weren’t any expectations, where they could just _be._

"That's good." Lotor's voice was warm and fond. "I would also like to do this again sometime soon. This is exactly what I was looking for, and being here with you is much less stressful than hooking up with a stranger." As he spoke, he started scrubbing Sendak's back, almost as more of a massage than simply washing him. His fingers sunk just past the fur to press at the muscle underneath, soothing the tension there.

Sendak relaxed fully under Lotor’s ministrations, his expertly placed touches bleeding the tension from his back. He sighed in bliss and began purring involuntarily. “I can imagine it is.” He looked over his shoulder at Lotor, who still had his face scrunched up in concentration. “It’s also a lot safer,” he finished. He knew Lotor could handle himself, but that didn’t mean he had to do everything on his own, so he hoped to at least make him feel safe in their quarters.

Lotor hummed in agreement, still working through Sendak's voluminous fur. "Yes, it is far safer, especially considering that it's in your best interest to keep me safe." His voice took on a teasing lilt as he added, "After all, I know where you sleep."

Sendak chuckled fondly at the threat. Leave it to Lotor to make his words into a double edged blade, sweet and lilting but always an edge to them. There was no doubt in his mind that Lotor would make him pay if he wronged him. Luckily, he wasn’t planning on doing that.

Moving his hands down Sendak's back, Lotor stopped just above his rear. "Unless you want to try to persuade me to go for a second round tonight, I think assisting you with washing any lower would be likely to result in an issue that you would have to resolve yourself." He drew his hands away and stepped back, eyeing Sendak appraisingly. "And of course, I cannot reach your head very well, so you will have to take care of that on your own, too."

Sendak turned, facing Lotor. “Thank you. I’ll take care of the rest but first...” he smirked and made a twirling motion with his index finger, the same one Lotor had.

Lotor returned Sendak's smirk before he did as asked, turning to face away from him. He picked up a bottle of shampoo and passed it over his shoulder to Sendak. "This is the one I start with," he explained. "I should warn you that washing my hair properly is a... process. Simply working the shampoo through all of it takes time, and I shampoo it twice before conditioning."

Sendak squeezed an appropriate amount into his hand before setting away the bottle and lathering it up. “I have to be honest, I thought there was more to it than that.”

"Mmm, I do a long treatment twice a phoeb," Lotor admitted, "but this is sufficient and more practical for daily washing."

“I see.” Sendak began working his way along Lotor’s head, starting at the back. Plunging his fingers deep into Lotor’s hair, he scrubbed in gentle movements, making sure to methodically cover everything. Working his way down the strands covering Lotor’s back, he noticed how much longer his hair seemed when wet.

Lotor gave a soft hum of pleasure, and some of the tension visibly drained out of him as Sendak worked. Every once in a while, he would hum again in approval, and a few sounded almost more like moans.

Sendak smiled at Lotor’s soft sounds of pleasure. He continued massaging his scalp, following Lotor’s instructions. When the time came to rinse out the conditioner, he found himself wanting to prolong the intimacy. Still, he made quick work of the rest of his own body and, after making sure Lotor was finished as well, turned off the water.

He had seen Lotor walk out of the bathroom before with his hair in a towel, so he handed him one before making his way to the full-body dryer favored by Galra with more fur. A few seconds later, he was dry, and he stepped aside for Lotor.

"Thank you," Lotor told Sendak the moment he'd turned off the water, and he hummed in acknowledgment when handed the towel. He wrapped up his hair in it before stepping into the drier, where the warm air very quickly dried off his smooth skin.

He then headed to the vanity, taking his hair down from the towel to dry it with a hairdryer before going through his nightly routine, though he neglected to put on any kind of clothing. When he had finished, he turned to Sendak. "Ready for bed?"

Sendak looked down at himself. He was still naked but, then again, so was Lotor, so he seemingly didn’t have a problem with it. Opening the door, he inclined his head to Lotor, smiling. “After you.”

Lotor inclined his head in acknowledgment as he walked into the room. His walk was less deliberately seductive than before, but of course, his well-defined hips still swayed a little with every step as he headed straight for the bed.

As he reached the edge of the bed, he paused for just a moment, glancing to the floor at the discarded pillows that usually made up a barrier between the two sides of their bed. Then, he simply got in, pulling his personal pillow a little closer to the center and laying down there before looking over at Sendak expectantly.

Sendak paused. Since the beginning of their... _arrangement_ , the pillow barrier had always been there, an ever-present companion and reminder that they both didn’t want this. And now it was gone. Not only that, but Lotor wasn’t lying on the very edge of the bed anymore.

Lotor’s expectant look had him squaring his shoulders and striding to bed. He shut off the lights and stretched out on his side. “Good night, Lotor,” he whispered into the darkness.

The prince chuckled softly. "Come here," he murmured, "just for tonight." He scooted a little bit closer, leaving only a very small distance between them.

Reaching toward Sendak and _almost_ touching him, he explained, "I want you to hold me, if you would like to. Tomorrow, things can go back to normal, but let's indulge ourselves tonight. It's been such a long time since I was able to sleep with a partner after sex."

Sendak’s eyes widened. This wasn’t what they had agreed on, not really. He had expected Lotor to be distant, maybe even cold, not _this._

Looking over, he could see Lotor’s face, even in near darkness. He was beautiful. Against his better judgment reached out and pulled him close, tucking Lotor’s head under his chin and stroking his back.

Yes. Tomorrow, things would go back to normal but for now... for now, he would let himself have this.

“Goodnight,” he spoke softly.

Lotor settled into his new position, nuzzling Sendak a little as their bodies pressed together. "Goodnight, Sendak," he replied, voice quiet and low.

After a moment, he began to purr very, very quietly, and he only stopped purring when he dropped off to sleep a couple of doboshes later.

Sendak pressed a whisper of a kiss to the top of Lotor’s head, taking a deep breath of his scent.

“Goodnight, Lotor,” he mumbled and then drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~

Sendak woke to the sight of Lotor still nestled deeply in his arms. _Where he belonged_ , a part of his half-asleep mind supplied and it made him pause.

Fuck.

It dawned on him with absolute certainty that somewhere in the midst of dinner conversations and little favors and warm greetings... his attraction for Lotor wasn’t just sexual, and it hadn’t been for a while now.

_Fuck._

And now they were _sleeping together_ , and Lotor was so warm and fit perfectly into his arms and he looked _beautiful_ like this, the gradually brightening lights of the approaching day cycle making his smooth skin glow.

Lotor released a soft sleepy sigh and buried himself deeper in Sendak’s chest. Sendak went completely still at the sound, his ears twitching slightly.

A long moment passed with Lotor still pressed into Sendak's chest before he seemed to stir a little, eyelids fluttering but not quite opening as he pulled his head back. He placed his hands lightly on Sendak's chest, as if trying to sense him somehow without looking.

Finally, he cracked an eye open and made a little inquisitive sound, still sleepy and not really aware.

Sendak’s brain refused to function at that. Lotor was so... _cute,_ he thought before immediately kicking himself mentally. He stroked Lotor’s hair in an attempt to answer the unasked question. “Good morning,” he spoke softly. “Sleep well?

Lotor's eyes blinked open, and he frowned a little in confusion as his bleary eyes struggled to focus on Sendak. "Mmm, Sen–?" Realization flashed over his face, followed by calm acceptance. "Mmhmm," he hummed affirmatively, eyes closing again. "You're warm... Five more doboshes?" He snuggled back into Sendak's chest.

He should say no. He should get up and bury his treacherous feelings deep down where they would never see the light of day.

But... 

He wanted this, he realized. Cursing himself for being so weak, he held Lotor a little closer. “Alright,” he whispered.

Lotor hummed lightly again in acknowledgment as he relaxed even more, his breathing evening back out into a slow and sleepy pace. His body was completely relaxed against Sendak's, and within a few doboshes, it was clear that he'd fallen right back asleep.

Sendak smiled fondly. He knew Lotor had a hard time sleeping through the night. Seeing him fall back asleep like this was unprecedented. They had nothing to do today, so he decided to let Lotor sleep as long as possible.

Nearly a varga passed before Lotor stirred again, pulling away enough to stretch a little and yawning widely enough to show off his tiny fangs. He blinked a few times, already looking more aware than when he woke up earlier.

Glancing over at the timepiece, Lotor frowned slightly. "My apologies," he murmured, voice rough and low with sleepiness, "for keeping you here like this for so long. I hope I didn't inconvenience you."

Sendak released his hold on Lotor somewhat but kept stroking his back in soothing circles. He was glad Lotor trusted him enough to be able to fall asleep in his arms. “It’s quite alright. I don’t have anywhere important to be.”

"Mmmm..." Lotor yawned again and then gave Sendak a small smile. "Well then, thank you for letting me sleep. I suppose I was more tired than I thought, sleeping in so long like this. And I don't remember waking up in the middle of the night at all..."

His smile turned into a bit of a playful smirk as his eyes met Sendak's. "I suppose I really needed some good and satisfying sex to wear me out properly, hmm? That was absolutely _lovely_." With that, he gently pulled away and sat up, stretching his arms and back before leisurely moving to get out of bed.

Sendak stopped himself before he could reach out and pull Lotor back. He decided to watch him stretch instead.

“It was wonderful.” He said it like there was nothing else to it. He paused, allowing himself to run his gaze along the lines of Lotor’s body. “We should do it again sometime.”

"Yes, I would like that," Lotor answered without hesitation. "When is your next day off? About a week away, right? Buy me another good bottle of wine, and I'll certainly consider it." His voice took on a teasing lilt toward the end, and his playful smile gave away that he wasn't really serious about the wine.

He then stood up and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaving Sendak alone.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Sendak sank back against the pillows. He was so fucking stupid. How could he let this happen? He’d been forced into a sham marriage, making his peace with it and making this agreement only to realize instants later that he actually loved Lotor. _Fuck._

Sendak groaned into the pillow.


	4. Compromised

Sendak had always been a man of duty. He knew how to not let emotions get in the way of things. So, despite his newfound realization of the inconvenience of emotions, he continued on just as before. He did his work, he acted as a friendly companion to Lotor without letting their interactions become something more, and he kept up appearances as one of the empire's two princes.

That last bit was, in some ways, the hardest. When he was in public with Lotor, he was expected to – he _had_ to – show at least some affection befitting a husband to his lovely mate. They were allowed to be reserved in their affections, both being officers of dignity, but some gestures were expected. Before, all of the affection had been forced, but now...

In public, Sendak could show his feelings. In private, he had to hide behind a mask of platonic comradery.

Fuck. His. Life.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, when he and Lotor weren't explicitly sleeping together – meaning that Lotor was close enough to see and hear, physically close enough to touch, and yet off-limits, separated from Sendak by a few haphazard pillows forming an ever-shrinking barrier between them – Sendak stared at the ceiling, wondering if Zarkon had somehow known that this would happen. After all, the emperor was unempathetic, but he wasn't _stupid_. He must have known that Lotor would never surrender his pride and accept the marriage, not truly. Had he also known that Sendak would eventually truly come to see Lotor as his mate?

If so, Sendak thought, that officially made this the cruelest thing that Zarkon had ever done to him. Forget making him the object of envy for his peers, forget forcing him, as a child, into fighting competition with another child; this emotional torment was the worst of all.

But time went on, and Sendak got used to it. He and Lotor settled into an amiable pattern of interactions, and the routine helped Sendak to manage his feelings. Their increasingly open communication both made his feelings stronger and helped him to better appreciate their relationship as it stood.

Aside from slowly shifting patterns in their interactions, Sendak thought that things were indeed very unlikely to ever change. And that was... well. It was fine, he supposed. They were happy enough.

Even if Sendak still felt the burning envy and scorn of those who would have been his peers if not for him having the one title that no man could earn, the title that proved that he was the emperor's favorite.

Even if he knew that Lotor still chafed at being sidelined and dismissed, at having his authority mean nothing while Sendak's authority meant _everything_ despite having the exact same title of "prince."

Even if he and Lotor still existed in a strange network of layered interactions and dissolving boundaries, acting like a married couple and yet insisting that there was no romance.

They were happy enough. That was what counted, right?

~*~*~*~

It had been several months since Sendak and Lotor started sleeping together. While their personal lives had been shifting, everything external had stayed about the same. Sendak's career was still going strong. Lotor's involvement in political and military affairs was still minimal and always highly discouraged. Such were their lives. 

As Sendak finished up with the stabilization of Galra power in one newly-conquered colony, he received information on the next one that he was supposed to conquer. This time, Lotor asked to read the reports (Sendak knew that Lotor had been reading the reports he received for years, and he had occasionally even asked Lotor to just sum up the information for him when he was too busy to sift through them all, but the fact that Lotor was _asking_ this time felt like an expression of trust. It was nice). Sendak, of course, gave him access to the files, hoping that Lotor might have been able to give him some insights on how to conquer this planet effectively... and with as few casualties as possible. Lotor's distaste for excessive violence had been wearing off on him.

Reading over the reports, Lotor made notes, just as Sendak expected. But when Sendak returned to check on him later, expecting Lotor to be full of ideas and ready to discuss them, he instead found the prince staring at the wall.

"Is something wrong?" Sendak asked.

Lotor seemed to startle slightly – almost worryingly unusual, as Lotor virtually always had _excellent_ awareness of his surroundings – and looked up at him. "Ah, well, I was merely thinking over this new colony. It appears very rich in Quintessence. In _life_. The diversity of species, both flora and fauna, is vast. It will... it will greatly benefit the Empire."

Sendak sat down next to him, a little closer than was necessary on their wide couch. "Then why are you upset? Clearly, something's bothering you." 

"There's... there's _so much_ life there." Lotor sighed, bowing his head in mourning for a doomed planet. "It seems such a shame to completely wipe out so many diverse species, to drive them to extinction -- and do _not_ try to tell me that will not happen. Even if the sentient species submit and are spared, the non-sentient flora and fauna will suffer, if for no other reason than simply having their natural habitats stripped bare. Quintessence is _life_. To take Quintessence..."

"...we must take life," Sendak finished. It was a discussion they'd had before, and one which never failed to make Sendak uncomfortable. "I know, but what else can I do? I can't disobey your father."

"Remember what I told you before? My theories about taking Quintessence in controlled amounts, drawing from areas only until they were partially drained and then letting them rest and recover before drawing more?" Lotor finally met Sendak's eyes, and the look in his own eyes was one of pleading, praying for mercy for a planet he had never even seen aside from pictures. The prince always _had_ been too empathetic for his own good.

Sendak had never been so empathetic. Except to one person. One person whose pain he could never ignore, even if that pain was only on behalf of another. "I remember."

"If you could somehow get away with trying that, just to test my theory, perhaps..." His blue eyes strayed away from Sendak's as his gaze fell to his lap, and Sendak only now noticed that his hands were shaking ever so slightly.

He gently took Lotor's hands to still them. "I can try, but Lotor, I don't know how to do what you do. I'm not a -- a scientist, or an engineer, or a visionary. Not like you."

Lotor sighed deeply, looking weary with the weight of the universe. "I know. You're a good man and a good soldier, the best commander that -- that royalty could ask for."

Sendak raised an eyebrow at Lotor's word choice, so deliberately vague.

"If only _I_ could be there," the prince continued. "Then I could better assess what needs to be done. Even occasional visits would give me the information I needed, and if I could communicate with a local who could keep me updated, so much the better. I could tell you what I would recommend, and you could then carry it out."

The commander considered this. Letting Lotor help him run this colony -- perhaps it would not have been outright _treason_ , as the emperor had never explicitly banned such a thing, but Sendak knew without asking that Zarkon would be greatly displeased on principle, regardless of what exactly Lotor's motives were. Add to that the fact that what Lotor wanted to do was so drastically different from the standard model that Sendak was expected to follow, and...

He looked at his... at Lotor's face, at his expression worn down with grief and helplessness and the sheer _exhaustion_ of seeing so much that was wrong with the universe and having a solution, even just a potential one, and yet not having the opportunity to even _try_ to help.

There could only be one answer.

"Let's do it. Just like you just said – you can come visit the planet from time to time without it looking too suspicious as long as I'm there, since we can say that you just wanted to visit me. We can set up informants on the planet. You can give me plans, and I'll carry them out. I'll do it."

Lotor looked up at Sendak with trepidation, seeming to doubt Sendak's will. "Are you certain? If – _when_ my father finds out, he will be greatly displeased. We will have to have very impressive results to sway him, or else we will both face consequences."

"I trust you." Sendak met Lotor's searching gaze steadily, trying to convey his sincerity and determination. "You can get us the results we need. We'll show him. We'll show everyone."

Hope and relief filled Lotor's expression, manifesting in a soft smile, and Sendak knew that he had made the right choice. "Thank you." He leaned forward, hesitating for only a moment before wrapping his arms around Sendak in a hug, and Sendak easily returned the gesture of affection.

~*~*~*~

It was surprisingly easy to carry out Lotor’s plan. Sendak made the initial attack as swift, efficient, and non-lethal as possible, taking many captives while causing few casualties. Most of his lieutenants grumbled at this plan, but the people and their leaders surrendered within a mere few quintants, so no one could deny its effectiveness.

Afterwards, as the leaders were being rounded up for a pretty one-sided discussion about how things would be now, Sendak pulled aside his most trusted lieutenant, Haxus, and gave him quick instructions to identify one leader who might be more willing to discuss matters with Sendak and to actually work with him.

It took a little time for Haxus to come back, but when he did, he was accompanied by one of the natives. They – she? – looked wary but not outright terrified, which was a vast improvement from most of the other natives Sendak had seen. There was a sort of… cautious curiosity in her eyes that seemed vaguely familiar for reasons the commander could not quite place.

“Sir.” Haxus saluted, inclining his head to Sendak. “I brought one of the native leaders, as requested.”

The woman watched Haxus carefully and mirrored his motions, saluting and bowing slightly while looking to Sendak for his response.

Sendak was already rather impressed by her. Anyone this adaptable would be a valuable person to keep around. Again, she reminded him of...

In a commanding but not harsh tone, Sendak said, “At ease, both of you.” Looking to Haxus, he added, “Return to your work. Don’t mention this to anyone.”

“Yes, sir.” Haxus inclined his head again and quickly left.

The native looked a little more nervous without Haxus, but she held herself carefully in a somewhat submissively slouched posture, not confident or defiant, but not showing weakness or fear, either. She looked to Sendak, purple eyes wide and wary yet calculating as her gaze swept over him, and Sendak was struck by how similar her eyes were to Lotor’s. The shape of her pupil and iris were exactly the same, and so was the color of her honey-yellow sclera. But what really sealed the similarity in Sendak’s mind was the intensity of her gaze, all intelligence and calculation and determination hidden behind a thin veneer of fearful submission that most would not think to look past.

Whether Haxus had known what he was doing or not, he had picked out the _perfect_ accomplice for Lotor’s plans.

“What is your name?” Sendak asked, keeping his tone neutral to test for her reaction.

“Ven’tar of the realm of Sin’pes, one of the tropical countries, sir,” she answered without hesitation.

“And you are their leader?”

“One of three, sir. We balanced power by ensuring that all time-sensitive decisions were approved by two of the three highest-elected leaders, though we attempted to resolve most issues as diplomatically as possible.”

Sendak narrowed his eyes a little, eyeing her with false suspicion. “Why do you think my lieutenant brought you to me?”

Ven’tar blinked a few times as she considered the question. “Sir,” she began carefully, “forgive my insufficiencies, but I am not sure what you mean. Are you asking why I think he brought me in particular, or for what purpose?”

“Both.”

She swallowed visibly, expression pinching in the first fully sincere display of anxiety Sendak had seen yet. “He told me very little.” She sounded uncertain, questioning herself, and her eyes drifted away from Sendak’s gaze. “When the Galra forces came to our realm, I initially tried to fight, but it soon became clear that we stood no chance. I ordered a surrender, and when my fellow leaders overrode my order, I took matters into my own hands, disabling our power systems and forcing our people to stand down or to try to fight without proper weapons.”

There was a heaviness in her voice and her expression, gaze cast down at the floor, but also a sense of resolve as she continued speaking. “Some of my people regard me as a traitor, but I know that I did the right thing. Outright fighting would have only resulted in a loss of further life.” Finally, she brought her gaze back to Sendak’s. “I suspect that is why your lieutenant chose me, sir, because I was willing to make the hard choice and cooperate rather than clinging to reckless honor and pointless rebellion.” 

Sendak raised an eyebrow at her, impressed, and he made a mental note to thank Haxus later. “You sound like exactly the person I need. You see, I have a rather unusual plan for this colony, one which, if all goes well, could spare countless lives in comparison to the usual Galra method.”

Ven’tar’s eyes widened, but she said nothing, watching with hesitant curiosity.

“For this plan to work, I need someone who knows this planet and its people, who can convince everyone to cooperate. You also need to be able to work behind closed doors and to lie to almost any Galra who asks you questions about what’s going on. You’ve got to work with someone you’ll hardly ever be able to see in person and give him all the data he needs. Can you do that?”

For one long moment, Ven’tar was silent, expression oddly blank and impassive as she looked down at the floor. Then, a handful of ticks later, she looked up and nodded. “Yes, sir. I can do that. Whatever it takes to help my people.”

Sendak smiled. “Good. There’s someone I need you to meet.”

~*~*~*~

Many phoebs flew past, and Sendak almost lost track of the passage of time, focused as he was on the colony project. It was a strange thing, pretending to follow orders while secretly doing something quite different, but Lotor had an answer to every problem that came up, including how to fake evidence and data for reports that would not look suspicious.

Lotor very clearly thrived on the colony, and, as Sendak predicted, he worked extremely well with Ven’tar. At first, Lotor only came sparingly, but he started to visit more and more often as the work progressed, citing a desire to be near Sendak in order to keep suspicion at bay.

The results were extremely impressive, higher Quintessence yields than Sendak could have ever hoped for. Flora, fauna, and sentient life alike were continuing to live and thrive much like before with only mild interruption. In fact, Lotor’s processes were so efficient that most citizens were able to resume their regular daily lives rather than being forced into slave labor like on so many other Galra imperial colonies. The ones who did work on the Quintessence project were compensated fairly for their work according to local currency and cost of living, and Lotor was generous enough with their pay that there were more locals willing to work on the project than jobs available.

He would have told Lotor to modulate his visits but he enjoyed them a great deal more than he could admit. Seeing Lotor smiling, his eyes bright as he studied the native flora and fauna of the planet or spoke with Ven’tar to learn more of her culture… Sendak never wanted to see the end of it.

He had just seen Lotor off one day, after making sure that everything was in order with his shuttle, when Ven’tar cleared her throat. Sendak turned towards her, a smile still on his face. They’d had a rather long day of checkups and tests that Lotor had run on the Quintessence yield but she always seemed to enjoy Lotor’s visits, even if they came with additional work. “Yes, Ven’tar?”

“Sir, I do not mean to overstep and I hope you take no offense in my inquiry but… you and Prince Lotor are married, are you not?”

Sendak was taken aback by the question. “Yes,” he said after a pause. “Why?”

She smiled. “You are both very lucky to have found each other.”

Sendak released a long breath, his smile faltering. He debated nodding at Ven’tar’s assessment, just as he usually did with everyone else’s, but something about her made her very easy to talk to. He’d gotten close to her over the past phoebs and he couldn’t quite stop himself from speaking. “We… didn’t really _find_ each other,” he said. “The emperor arranged our marriage and we’ve learned to live with it.” It felt good to tell the truth to someone, even if it wasn’t the whole truth.

“Oh.” Ven’tar seemed puzzled. “With the way you look at each other, I could have sworn…” She trailed off, lost in thought.

Maybe it was the silence of the evening or the beauty of the setting sun in the distance or the fact that nobody could hear them at this moment but Sendak whispered: “I do.” It felt strange to admit it, even to himself.

Ven’tar kept her composure perfectly, demonstrating once again why she was perfect for the job she’d been assigned. “Does he know?”

Sendak looked at her for a long moment. It was so much more complicated than he cared to explain but finally he shook his head. He wanted to tell Lotor about his feelings but he was afraid that he’d ruin the friendship they’d managed to build.

Ven’tar furrowed her brow. Her eyes were full of calculations, the same way Lotor’s eyes lit up when he made connections Sendak couldn’t hope to understand. She opened her mouth but didn’t speak, likely contemplating if she should say anything, but then she found her courage. “Maybe it is time to tell him.”

She was right, maybe it was. Maybe it would be better to be honest with Lotor and if he didn’t feel the same way… then Sendak would bury it, the way he had for a while now. Lotor deserved to be courted properly, not forced into something he didn’t want. He smiled at Ven’tar and thanked her for the advice, wishing her a pleasant evening.

It took him some time to find the right thing but soon he commissioned a blade, deciding that, for once, tradition was rather suitable. It was delicate and deadly and yet the material was able to grow into a fully sized sword if the wielder wanted it. The material alone would cost a small fortune, not to mention the forging of such a weapon and the bonding to the wielder, but Sendak didn’t care. This was worth it many times over. 

~*~*~*~

He was staring at a wall instead of reading reports for what was definitely a repeated time when Haxus’ voice cut through his thoughts. “Sendak! What is distracting you these days? Did you listen to any of the reports I just summed up for you?”

“I…” He could not recall a single word from the past ten minutes and he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been preoccupied with different matters.” He glanced at the blade before him on the table. It had taken a while to arrive but he knew it was the real thing. He looked at the glowing lines on it, almost as if blue and magenta light were coming from inside of it. Now all he had to do was find an appropriate moment to give it to Lotor but it was eluding him.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Haxus said in an exasperated tone. 

He was lucky he was a really good lieutenant and that Sendak was his commander. Others would have had him flogged for the way he was speaking. Over the years Haxus had become more than a trusted advisor, he’d become a friend. Haxus glanced over at the knife, still sitting innocently on the table and a switch seemed to flip in his mind. Dammit, he really had to stop making a habit of surrounding himself with clever people.

“You do know you’re already married to him?” Haxus teasing words did not fully match his sincere tone and gentle smile.

“Not properly,” Sendak said.

Haxus nodded. “Good luck, Sen. I know he’ll love it.”

“Thank you, Haxus.”

~*~*~*~

In the back of Sendak’s mind, he knew that the one decaphoeb mark was coming soon, when Emperor Zarkon would inspect the colony personally and would surely discover the rather unorthodox practices that Sendak and Lotor were using. Sendak was nervous, of course, but he knew that they still had a couple of phoebs to prepare. They would be fine. 

Then a sudden summons came for Sendak, calling him back to Central Command for an audience with the emperor. He was perplexed, certainly, but he couldn’t refuse a direct order from Emperor Zarkon, so he accepted the summons and returned. All along the way, he sent messages to Lotor, who was at home in their apartment as far as he knew, asking what this might be about. He grew increasingly nervous when he got nothing but silence as an answer.

Sendak's ship made it from the colony to Central Command quickly and without incident. According to the summons Sendak had been sent, he had a few vargas before his scheduled audience, so there would be enough time for him to go back home to his apartment and talk to Lotor before facing Zarkon. He could ask Lotor about the radio silence and about what he thought of this strange and sudden summons.

A guard was waiting in the hangar when Sendak's ship docked, and he saluted as the young commander stepped off. The guard looked nervous as he said, "Sir, the time for your audience with the emperor has changed. He wishes to see you immediately."

Sendak paused. First the messages, and now this. Something was very wrong. Still, he couldn’t very well ignore a summons from the emperor, so he straightened his back and nodded. “Very well. Take me to him.”

He followed the guard through the labyrinthine corridors of Central Command, finally coming to a halt at the large entrance to the throne room. The looming doors were opened for him, and the guard motioned for him to go through them.

Sendak took a deep breath and entered.

Zarkon was seated on his throne, staring down at Sendak with those unreadable Quintessence-filled eyes. He stayed silent and still, letting Sendak come to him.

Finally, the emperor spoke. "I have heard reports that you are running your most recent colony very differently from all your previous ones. Such a sudden change in methods tends to draw attention." His voice was neutral, but his gaze conveyed suspicion as he looked down at Sendak. "Explain yourself."

Sendak refused to let the fear show on his face. Lotor had warned him this would happen eventually. They weren’t as prepared as they’d hoped, but it would be fine. He just had to sway the emperor to his side.

_Results._

“Sir, the quintessence yield of this colony will be much greater in the long run. I saw one small planet as inconsequential enough to test this on.” He kept his head high.

The emperor's eyes narrowed as he glared at Sendak. "If you had suggestions for innovation, you could have requested permission instead of acting covertly."

That wasn't really true; suggestions were almost never accepted or approved. Technically, however, there _were_ official channels that Sendak and Lotor had ignored in the hopes that the results would speak for themselves.

"Sendak,” Zarkon continued, “you have always been a good soldier. This secrecy and rebelliousness does not suit you." He leaned forward a little and lowered his voice. "Did you think that I would not recognize my son's actions and methods?"

Fuck.

Zarkon knew.

Sendak’s stomach dropped as he remembered the unanswered messages he’d sent to Lotor. He hadn’t been careful enough, and now Lotor was in danger.

He did the only thing he could in that moment. “It was my idea to apply these methods to the colony. What does it matter where they came from?”

"Do not lie to me." Zarkon leaned forward more. "I know it was Lotor who did these things, and I am quite certain a _loyal soldier_ like you would never have disobeyed me otherwise." There was a sharp edge to his voice, a sword ready to fall if Sendak made the wrong move.

Then, he leaned back again, looking almost dismissive. "I know my son was your mate, but do not concern yourself any longer with attempting to defend his honor. There is nothing you can do for him. Your marriage has been annulled, and he has already been cast into exile, so unless you would like to join him, I suggest that you should start cooperating again."

His eyes narrowed again into dangerous, glowing slits. "Tell me, when did his manipulation take hold of you? When did he bend you to his devious will?"

Sendak’s eyes widened at Zarkon’s words. He didn’t think, didn’t even realize he was speaking until it was too late.

“He didn’t.”

He could practically feel the temperature in the room dropping but there was no stopping now. How _dare_ Zarkon imply that Lotor manipulated him? How dare he annul their marriage without their consent? And now Lotor was…

“Where is he?” He didn’t bother hiding his snarl. “Where is my husband?”

The corners of Zarkon's mouth turned down in a scowl. "You used to be so promising," he said quietly, coldly, with a hint of venom in his voice. "Strong, obedient, honorable. I see that my son's shameful and rebellious ways have corrupted you."

Then, his expression softened a little, and something like satisfaction but far more insidious crept into his gaze. "I know you never wanted the marriage in the first place, yet now you seem to care. Tell me, if you and Lotor truly became so close, why did he seem not at all disappointed to be sent away from you? You could try to run after him, but do you truly think you could catch up? Even I do not know where he is now."

His demeanor shifted again, just as cold as before and even more threatening. "I will give you one last chance to reduce your punishment for your rebellion. Renounce your involvement. Let the blame fall on Lotor."

Uncertainty crept into his thoughts at the claims. Had Lotor been happy to be rid of him? They both hadn’t wanted this marriage initially, that much was true, but Sendak had grown fond of Lotor. He’d fallen in love with his strength, his stubbornness, his smile, the way he fit perfectly into his arms. He’d liked to think that maybe, _maybe_ , Lotor returned some of his affections.

But he’d left.

No.

No, _Zarkon_ said he left.

He trusted Lotor. Somewhere along the line, he had begun trusting Lotor more than he trusted himself. He wouldn’t just leave.

He took a deep breath before looking at Zarkon’s quintessence-laden eyes, and he knew that his decision had been made a long time ago.

“No.” The single word echoed through the icy silence of the throne room.

Anger seeped into Zarkon's expression, clear in the scowl on his face and the intensity of his glare. "I put all that hard work into you, and _this_ is how you repay me, by practically begging me to send you into exile?” He bared his teeth menacingly. “I will _not_ give you what you want."

Motioning for the guards to converge on Sendak, the emperor pronounced, "Sendak, you are now stripped of all of your ranks and honors. You are sentenced to gladiatorial combat for no fewer than one hundred rounds."

The guards quickly surrounded Sendak, cuffing his hands behind his back. Then, they looked expectantly at Zarkon, who waved them away dismissively. "Take him to the Arena. Let him relearn the meaning of honor."

Sendak snarled at the emperor and scoffed. All he would have accomplished in renouncing his involvement might have been fewer rounds in the Arena. He was going to die on the sands, he knew that much. The only way out for him now was death. He had nothing left to lose.

“Do not speak to me of honor. Do you believe there is honor in killing slaves? In killing entire planets on a whim? You know _nothing_ of honor.” He spat at the emperor’s feet. He knew he was only further sealing his fate, but he could not bring himself to care. He was disposable. Zarkon wanted him gone, and he wouldn’t hesitate to make it so.

There was no escaping from Central Command, so Sendak held his head high as the guards led him away.

His only regret was that he’d never get to see Lotor again.


	5. Honor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this chapter contains depictions of violence, major injury, brainwashing, and torture.  
> If you want to know exactly what happens before reading, or you think you may need to skip, there is a full summary in the end notes.

Sendak fought well at first, determined not to give Zarkon the satisfaction of seeing him defeated. He’d die, but he’d die on his feet and with a sword in his hand.

When they shoved him out into the arena for the first time, he steadied himself and gave his provided blade an experimental spin.

He refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing him bend to Zarkon’s will. Sendak knew this was little more than a drawn-out execution, so he’d die with defiance humming through his veins. He’d refuse to defeat his opponents through bloodshed until he met his end.

Naturally, it wasn’t that simple.

By the end of his first match he had his opponent on his back before him, with Sendak’s sword at his throat and yielding, the match clearly decided. Zarkon met his eyes and after a long moment of stillness ordered the guards to dispose of his defeated opponent.

He could never stop their deaths, but at the end of each match, he refused the kill. One after the other. His sentence did not lessen. Zarkon deemed his matches as invalid, but Sendak couldn’t bring himself to care. The only pleasure he had these days was the frown on Zarkon’s face as he blatantly refused to follow him.

And then the emperor tired of their game.

He didn’t know how long he’d been locked in these matches. He’d lost count of how many times they’d walked him to the arena. He could have made the effort to keep track of time, made marks on his cell wall or anything of the sort, but it was pointless. It would serve no purpose to know how long he’d lasted before his inevitable death.

He could feel himself growing weary. The daily matches were taking their toll on him, and he didn’t know how much longer he would last.

Then the druids came sooner than usual. He felt like it hadn’t been a full day since his last match, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as they dragged him back and pressed a sword into his hand.

Swaying slightly on his feet, he drew himself upright. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate. It occurred to him that this was it. The emperor had finally tired of his antics and decided to help his execution along. He decided he’d fight with honor, even if it was the last time. He’d die on his feet with a sword in his hand.

The fight was brutal, every clash of weapons echoed through the arena despite the roaring of the crowd. Sendak didn’t hear them. He could barely stand upright. Perhaps he’d gone longer without food than he’d realized, but it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

He felt one of his opponent’s swords bury itself in his gut as the other sliced clean through his upper arm, and he fell to the sand. His blood soaked into the ground around him as he slowly felt himself lose his grip on consciousness. Sendak closed his eyes and let the darkness claim him, knowing that he’d won in some twisted way. He’d defied Zarkon until his last breath. He only hoped Lotor would be alright, wherever he was.

But the mercy of death would not be granted to him yet, he realized as he woke to harsh lights and soft beeping. He couldn’t move, but he knew he was in a druid lab, strapped to one of their endless medical tables. There were wires running out of the place where his left arm should be, and he suddenly remembered the color of his blood on the sands, the pain, the way he’d closed his eyes and known death would be there. Yet here he was.

The door hissed open, followed by an unsettling presence. The druid walked into his field of vision, cocking its head, and Sendak snarled before the room was filled with crackling energy and all he knew was pain.

He came to as if he was waking from a strange dream, his head groggy and his vision swimming slightly. For a moment he didn’t know where he was, what he was, and then he noticed the weight on his left side. There was metal where his arm used to be. He’d– he’d fought someone. They’d made him fight someone.

Before he could fully place the events that had brought him here someone walked in and he shrank back instinctively. A druid.

“The emperor asks that you swear your loyalty to him,” the druid supplied coldly.

Sendak narrowed his eyes. “I will not serve the emperor.” He knew it was the right thing despite his foggy mind.

The druid remained impassive. “So be it. You will fight in the arena for no less than 100 rounds.” Sendak nodded absently. He’d heard all this before. Suddenly the druid surged forward and dug its claws into his scalp, leaning in. “You _will_ fight to the death,” it whispered forcibly.

Sendak’s eyes widened at the sudden assault but he nodded. “I will.” And so he did.

His previous matches came trickling back from the corners of his mind. He hadn’t killed then, but he scarcely remembered the reason. All he knew as he cut down opponent after opponent was that he was resisting the emperor out of anger over the things he took from him. He would fight his matches, he would kill his opponents, he would let them patch him up and send him out over and over again but he would not give Zarkon his loyalty. Never again.

The order came each time he’d been too hurt to continue without medical assistance and was hauled to the druids’ lab. _The emperor asks that you swear your loyalty to him._ And his answer was the same every time. _I will not serve the emperor._ They dug their claws into his mind and demanded to know why more often than not, and soon he wasn’t sure of that himself.

His opponents got more skilled, his matches more brutal, and his strength left him, bit by bit. It was no longer an exception to be patched up by the druids. He was brought to their lab after nearly every match.

They were almost through their familiar lines when the druid suddenly wandered off-script. “This doesn’t have to be the end. Swear your allegiance and this can all be over, you can start again.”

“I will not–”

“Yes I know,” the druid cut him off. “But perhaps it’s time to let go of that foolish notion.” The crackling and festering black energy in the druid’s hand touched his mind, and once he would have screamed but by now he merely closed his eyes at the familiar burn. “He _lied_. He lied to you and manipulated you into doing his bidding and then he left you to die because you were no longer useful to him.”

In the back of his mind he knew the words were lies, but in that moment, the druid’s claims rang true. Nevertheless, he turned away and said the same thing he always did. “I will not serve the emperor.” But for the first time since he’d been trapped here, he felt a hint of doubt creep into his mind. He was so tired. Maybe it would have been easier to believe the creature slicing into his thoughts. Maybe he’d get hurt enough that he wouldn’t have to resist the temptation again. Maybe they’d finally let him die.

His next few matches were a blur. He’d lost count a long time ago, but now he hardly knew where one fight ended and the next began. Maybe he never stopped fighting. Maybe they just wanted to tire him out for good, but he found that he didn’t care anymore. He would lose a fight and then he’d lose his will. He knew he’d give in the next time they asked, knew it deep in his bones, so he’d just have to make sure he died before it could happen.

After what felt like days of endless battles, he slipped up, too exhausted to even hold his weapon. As he felt his opponent’s blade bury itself in his eye he released a sigh of relief and finally, _finally_ , embraced the darkness. There was no way they could save him from this.

When he woke and was greeted with the same nauseating light he’d come to know so well, the first thing he did was scream. He managed to rip the wires out of his head and the stump of his arm before they managed to put him under again. It felt like it was happening to someone else. He barely recognized himself, his mind, his body. Whatever he’d become. There was no way out. Maybe the druid was right.

“The emperor asks that you swear your loyalty to him,” the creature’s hated voice cut into his head.

He closed his eye for a long moment, breathing shakily. _No way out no way out no way out_. “I do.” The last part of him died at the words. “I swear my loyalty to the emperor.”

~*~*~*~

Now ‘restored’ to a free life as a soldier, Sendak had to face the reality of being a mere private, the lowest rank. Even when he’d entered service right after reaching adulthood, he’d been started on the officer track, skipping over the enlisted ranks entirely.

He was assigned a small cot, not much but more than he’d expected. The unexpected thing was the box on top of it. He opened it to find some personal belongings, likely taken from his, _their_ , rooms after everything had fallen apart. There wasn’t much of note, only some fine weapons and casual clothes. He dumped the box out on the cot and began tossing the weapons on one pile. They would be useful in the future.

As he moved aside a piece of cloth, a dim light caught his eye, still half buried under other things. His heart stopped and it was hard to draw breath as he reached for it and pulled the engagement blade free. He hardly remembered ever holding it, but now that it was in his hand he couldn’t think how he’d ever forgotten such a thing. The blade was as sharp as it always had been, the luxite maintaining its edge perfectly. He’d forgotten how small it was, how delicate it looked. He’d chosen it perfectly, and it hurt to look at because of it.

He wanted to throw it out, the last part of a life he would never get to have… but he couldn’t. He couldn’t even bring himself to let it fall back to the cot, not with the faint flicker of light coming from the decorative lines on the blade. They were much fainter than they had been the last time he’d seen them but they were there. _He was alive_. A part of him he didn’t know he still had sighed in relief.

He knew he shouldn’t, but despite everything, he tucked the blade into one of the inner pockets of his armor. It would be useful, he told himself, it was a waste to throw it away, it was just a reminder not to repeat his past mistakes. He knew he was lying to himself.

~*~*~*~

He expected to have no contacts, no friends. Only this new, empty life of obedience, never questioning the Emperor’s will.

Two days after his new assignment, however, he received a comm message from one Warrant Officer Haxus. Lightly-suppressed memories prickled at the back of Sendak’s mind, giving him enough of a headache that he knew not to try to explore them, but he knew Haxus was a friend. He opened up the message.

 _Want a drink? Like the old days_.

The answer was easy.

_Yes._

He set the comm down, wondering when Haxus would reply, only for it to buzz mere ticks later.

_Our old fav. See you in 2 vargas._

Haxus had never been one to mess around, had he?

 _See you then_.

~*~*~*~

“So, private? I’m just shocked you’re not dead.”

Sendak took a shot of ziker and slammed the tiny glass down on the counter, glaring at the bartender until she came over to refill it. “Yeah. Me too.”

Haxus shifted uncomfortably. “I never watched any of your matches. Couldn’t bear to. But I always checked the results afterwards. I… had to know.”

“Thanks.” Sendak huffed.

A long moment passed as Haxus and Sendak drained another shot each. Finally, Haxus asked, “How did you get out?”

Sendak stared at his empty glass. “I guess they eventually decided I’d learned my lesson.”

“Guess so.” Haxus slid his own glass over toward the bartender for a refill. “The rest of us got demoted for not reporting you. I got the worst of it. Guess they figured out I knew more than the rest.” He quieted down as the bartender came back over and refilled both glasses. Once she’d left again, he added, “One guy didn’t get demoted at all. Doesn’t take a genius to guess he was the snitch. You want to know who?”

For a moment, Sendak was about to say yes, but–

_Crackling purple energy. Glowing yellow eyes. No way out no–_

“No.” He pressed his hands to the counter to keep them from shaking. “I don’t care.”

Haxus side-eyed him. “Suit yourself.”

They drank mostly in silence after that.

~*~*~*~

Decaphoebs passed, then centuries, then millennia. Sendak rose through the ranks again, slowly regaining favor and honor.

Every so often, he had a “check-in” with the druids. Supposedly, it was just for adjustments and upgrades to his prosthetics, but he could never fully remember the appointments. He wasn’t stupid; he knew they were messing with his head and making sure that he was still obedient.

Still, what else could he do? There was no point in resisting. Obedience was the only way. He’d been a fool to… to… he could hardly even remember what he’d been trying to do, resisting Emperor Zarkon’s commands.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he’d look at the small luxite blade and let himself remember. The light that gently pulsed from the shallow lines in the metal was as much of a curse as it was a blessing. He didn’t know what he’d do if he looked at it one day to find it darkened and lifeless, didn’t want to consider it, but the violet hue was much more deadly than anything else could be. It brought hope with it, and hope was a terribly dangerous thing to have in his position. So he put the blade back in its familiar spot and banished it from his mind.

By the time he had made it back up the ranks, Zarkon kept him by his side almost constantly. He had effectively regained his status as right hand through obedience and discipline. He hated thinking about it, how he was in this place because the emperor had to show his absolute power over his subjects, his military.

He clicked the fingers of his prosthetic together. It might be true but disobedience would earn him nothing but more pain. He couldn’t go through the same things again, he wasn’t strong enough. So he kept his head down and obeyed.

Haxus was a silent companion throughout most of his time. Sendak didn’t allow himself to think about him too much. He had vague recollections of Haxus being his lieutenant _before_ but such thoughts would only bring trouble with them.

The druids must have been quite satisfied with his obedience because after proving himself a worthy right hand in numerous battles and conquests the emperor saw fit to entrust him with a part of the weapon he himself coveted. The Red Lion of Voltron.

Sendak didn’t know if it was a test or a taunt but he did as was expected of him and accepted the task of guarding it as an honor.

Of course it was only a matter of time until the remaining lions were found, the only unexpected thing was that it wasn’t the Galra that found them so he was thoroughly unprepared for the assault on his ship. He lost his fleet but he almost, _almost_ , managed to capture all the lions at once but he made a mistake and he paid for it.

The next thing he remembered was waking up on a strange ship to a completely different universe.

Zarkon was dead. Sendak thought his heart had stopped as the words fell from the witch’s lips, the feeling only worsening when she mentioned who had done it. Lotor. His name left Sendak short of breath. He hadn’t heard it in centuries, _millennia_. There was to be a Kral Zera to determine the next emperor and he was to win it.

The witch promised him the throne if he let her continue to operate the way she always had. He remembered the druid’s clawed hands digging into his mind and recoiled at the idea.

He touched the place where he kept the delicate blade concealed. He knew he had no chance against her alone but maybe...

“Commander.” Her voice ripped him from his thoughts. “You will leave Lotor alive and bring him to me, is that understood?”

Sendak felt his nausea rise at the thought of what the witch might want with him. He’d keep Lotor alive and out of her grasp by any means necessary and maybe… maybe they’d get a chance to sort things out.

“Is that understood?” the witch repeated.

“Yes, High Priestess,” he said, and realized that it was the first time in millennia he didn’t intend to follow through on an order. “I live to serve.”

~*~*~*~

When the Kral Zera began and Lotor wasn’t present, Sendak couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or concerned. A lot could have changed in the past several millennia, but Sendak was sure that Lotor would want this, that he’d want to at least try for the throne. It seemed strange indeed that he hadn’t shown up.

But then, just when it seemed that Sendak would simply be able to claim the throne now and would have to try to find Lotor later, the Black Lion of Voltron swooped in with Lotor standing in its mouth. His white hair whipped around in the wind as he announced his presence to the gathered Galra. Sendak would have fallen to his knees right then and there if it weren’t for the witch at his back, ready to strike.

Lotor’s eyes narrowed as they fell upon Sendak, and his expression was colder even than when they were rivals, so long ago. He glared for a mere moment before shifting his attention to the witch, eyeing her with even greater contempt. It seemed that not only did Lotor have no affection left for Sendak, but he didn’t even view him as the greatest threat here or worth more than an assessing glance.

Sendak’s gaze also slid to Haggar. He knew what she wanted, what she expected of him here, and disobeying her openly would only lead to trouble. For now, he had a part to play.

_“You? Lead the Galra empire?”_

He didn’t mean it. If he strained his memory past the mental resistance trained into him by the druids, he could still remember bits and pieces of how Lotor had managed the colony they had experimented with, how content the people were and how much the planet prospered under his care. He couldn’t remember much, but he remembered enough to know that Lotor would be a good leader. Still, he couldn’t admit as much in front of everyone else.

_“Time to prove yourself through honorable rite of combat!”_

One way or another, if they dueled, they could satisfy the demands of the ancient ceremony. If Sendak won, he could simply spare Lotor. If he lost, then Haggar’s attention would shift to dealing with the problem of Lotor being on the throne, and Sendak would likely be free from her attention. Either outcome was fine by Sendak, so long as Lotor spared him, and so far–

_“–and my first act as emperor will be to reunite you with my late father!”_

Sendak’s blood ran cold. The Kral Zera was a sacred ceremony, and any words uttered during such an event were as good as an oath. A declaration of the intent to kill, such as the one Lotor had just made, was a serious matter in any circumstance, but especially at a ceremony like this, in front of a crowd…

Under Galra tradition, Sendak and Lotor were now honor-bound to fight to the death. If Sendak tried to spare Lotor, it would be seen as an act of utmost foolishness, sparing an enemy who had declared the intent to kill him, and it would be dishonorable. Yet… how could he kill him? Lotor’s declaration had put Sendak into an impossible situation.

As they dueled, it became clear that Lotor absolutely meant his declaration. He never once held back or showed any hesitation. His strikes were all delivered at full force with the intent to kill. He had apparently learned much in the intervening time, as he was now able to keep up with Sendak in a way he’d never been able to when they dueled in training together as adolescents, and there were a few moments when he very nearly injured or killed Sendak. It was all Sendak could do to keep up. He could only hope to find a way to stun or incapacitate Lotor, and then…

And then what? He would still be honor-bound to kill him. What could he do? The only way he could get away with not killing Lotor would be to subject him to a fate worse than death.

Suddenly, he realized what he had to do, what would free his honor and allow him to spare Lotor and would keep Haggar’s suspicion off of him for a short while until he found a more permanent solution to keep her away from Lotor.

 _“Killing you would be too merciful.”_ The word choice was deliberate, rejecting Lotor’s earlier declaration. _“Once I’m emperor, I’m going to keep you as my slave!”_

Lotor’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, simply attacking again with even greater ferocity. Fine, let him be upset. If they both managed to survive this, Sendak could explain later.

It was all Sendak could do to block Lotor’s blows. Lotor was expertly keeping him on the defensive, not letting him gain a single inch. He had to focus all his energy into the fight to keep from getting killed.

Neither of them noticed the rumbling of the explosions until it was too late. The ground shifted under their feet and there was a deafening roar. Parts of the steps collapsed, their inner structure falling apart by some attempt at sabotaging the ceremony. In a split second, the blast threw him back, and he landed with a heavy thud.

The sight before him prevented him from sparing a single stray thought on the ringing in his ears and the way his vision swam. Icy fear gripped him as he saw Lotor get thrown down the steps, his limp form coming to a halt almost at the bottom.

He pushed himself up as quickly as possible and ran to the bottom of the steps. Lotor was trying to rise, reaching for his sword that had been thrown several feet away. Sendak felt an immeasurable sigh of relief build in his chest. Someone else might have died during such a fall, but Lotor was alive.

His relief was short lived. Lotor turned his head to look at him with unfocused eyes, blood running down the side of his face, and shrunk back, scrambling to get away. There was fear in his eyes and it was the most horrible thing Sendak had ever seen. Lotor had never looked at him like that, he couldn’t think of Lotor ever looking so terrified.

He held out his hand towards him and Lotor jerked back so strongly that he fell down another step and cried out as he landed on his oddly twisted leg. He seemed to fight against unconsciousness with everything he had, but it was a battle he would not win. Soon, his head fell back against the floor, and he was out cold.

Sendak felt numb all over, unable to wipe the haunting image out of his mind. Nevertheless, he looked out at the crowd. “Does anyone else wish to challenge me?” The question was met with complete silence. He knew there was nothing else he could do without lighting the flame. The Kral Zera would not end until he did, and it was only a matter of time until someone with more greed than sense would attempt to ascend the stairs in his stead. None of the gathered Galra would follow his orders until the flame was lit. 

He knew no one would touch Lotor until the ceremony was over, they’d all heard Sendak’s declaration, but turning around to light the flame and leaving Lotor at the bottom of the steps, unconscious and injured, was the hardest thing he’d done in his life.

The heat of the sacred flame hardly registered and he barely heard the Archivist’s declaration, barely saw the Galra kneeling at the foot of the steps. He made his way back to the bottom as quickly as he could allow himself to. The small pool of blood under Lotor made him clench his jaw.

The witch was instantly there, accompanied by three women in similar armor to Lotor’s. She looked at him and waved her hand at the women. “Take him back to the ship, the druids will see to his survival.“

Sendak’s stomach turned at the thought of those vile creatures touching Lotor. “No,” he said, meeting Haggar’s gaze. “He’s mine. I made him a _promise_ , and I seek to uphold it. You can have him when I’m done with him.”

He addressed one of the nearby soldiers. “Take him to the imperial medical bay, I will not have him dying on these steps. The doctors will know how to keep him alive.” It hurt to address Lotor so dismissively but he had to keep him safe.

“Nobody is allowed near him without my permission, is that understood?” The soldier nodded frantically but Sendak was still staring at the witch.

She bowed her head respectfully. “Yes Sire,” she said, but Sendak knew she was furious. He almost smiled at the thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full-spoiler summary of the chapter (buckle up, kids, this one has Plot): Sendak gets sent to fight in the arena and at first he's very defiant of the emperor. He thinks that Zarkon just wants to make his execution into a spectacle and is determined to die in defiance; however, when he loses his arm in a fight and thinks he'll die, he wakes up in a druid lab. The druids begin to tamper with his thoughts, and after every time he gets too injured to keep fighting they haul him back to the lab and patch him back up. Every time they ask him to swear his loyalty to Zarkon again and he refuses, but he can feel his strength waning. When he loses his eye in what should be a mortal injury, he thinks he can finally rest, but the druids manage to pull him back from the brink of death. This time, when they ask for his loyalty, he agrees. Sendak gets reinstated into the military as the lowest possible rank, a Private. He finds the proposal blade he had prepared for Lotor among the few personal items that had been left for him, and despite the druids' claims that Lotor manipulated him, he can't bring himself to throw it away. The years pass and Sendak rises back through the ranks. He has sessions with the druids where they make sure he's still obedient. He earns his spot as Zarkon's right hand again and gets to guard the Red Lion for his efforts. Canon happens, he fights the paladins and gets ejected into space, later finding himself on Haggar's ship right before the Kral Zera. She wants him to win it and leave Lotor alive so she can have him for her own purposes. Sendak can't believe he's going to see Lotor again after so long and vows to himself that he'll keep Lotor alive and safely out of Haggar's grasp by any means necessary. At the Kral Zera, Lotor declares his intent to kill Sendak, which puts him in an impossible position because he a vow like that binds them to fight to the death, and the only way he can justify sparing Lotor is by subjecting him to a fate worse than death. To be able to leave Lotor alive, he declares that he will keep him as his slave. The Kral Zera gets sabotaged and Lotor gets thrown down the steps by the force of the blast mid-duel. He gets injured from his fall but survives. Sendak lights the flame after asking the other assembled Galra if they wish to challenge him and getting no answer. He has Lotor moved to the imperial med bay despite Haggar's protests (he says that she can have Lotor once he's done with him) and makes it clear that nobody is allowed in the med bay without Sendak's permission. Haggar is furious but will not disobey the emperor directly.


	6. Lies and Promises

It took days just for Lotor to be healed enough to be brought out of the stasis pod, and even then, he didn't wake. The doctors told Sendak that they didn't know when he would finally regain consciousness – vargas, quintants, movements, there was no way to know. They would simply have to wait and see. All the while, Haggar and her druids kept attempting to get access, and Sendak had to lay out strict rules of access to ensure that she was kept away.

Finally, over a movement after the Kral Zera, Sendak received a notification that Lotor was awake... along with a request for him to come quickly because the patient was trying to fight back and escape.

By the time Sendak arrived in the room, the doctors had already been forced to restrain Lotor, cuffing him to the bed to keep him from ripping off all of the medical equipment attached to him. He was panting heavily, likely because he'd exhausted himself with his own efforts, and he looked far too wild-eyed for someone who had been comatose for a week.

Sendak approached him slowly, making sure to keep his hands where Lotor could see them.

It felt unreal. He hadn’t seen Lotor in centuries, _millennia_ , and despite having just survived multiple life-threatening injuries, he looked exactly the same. And he _hated_ him. The fire in his eyes on the steps of the Kral Zera could not be mistaken for anything less than hatred. Sendak tried approaching. “Lotor...” He hadn’t said his name in so long, not daring to speak the syllables. What was he even supposed to say to someone who had been his husband a lifetime ago? Someone he still cared about more than he had any business to? “What do you remember?”

Lotor's gaze was cold and hostile as he looked over at Sendak, and his expression was hard and unforgiving. "I remember everything of importance, _Emperor Sendak_." He spat out the title like a curse. "Or would you prefer 'Master'?" His tone turned mocking and defiant. "After all, I'm your _slave_ now, am I not? What do you intend to do with me? Lock me up? Experiment on me? Make me do hard labor?" His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. " _Take me to your bed?_ "

Sendak looked away. He felt horrible for putting Lotor through this, but after his declaration, there hadn’t been another way to save his life.

“Out,” he said to the medical staff. “Everybody out. Leave us.”

He waited for the room to be cleared as he looked at Lotor. He still couldn’t believe he was here. After so long, memories of their... _relationship_ had a dreamlike quality to them, as if they weren’t real.

When they were alone, he squared his shoulders, but he remained standing a few feet away from Lotor’s bed. “Lotor...” he trailed off again and sighed. He still didn’t know why Lotor hated him, and he was honestly at a loss.

“You’re safe here,” he assured him. Lotor thought that he was going to– it was unthinkable. “No one’s going to touch you _like that_ , and the witch is not permitted anywhere near you.”

Lotor sneered, clearly unconvinced. "Safe? Like you promised before our marriage?" He scoffed. "I am not going to fall for your lies again."

He looked away from Sendak only to stare up at the ceiling, gazing off parsecs away. "So what if you do not rape me or let _her_ touch me? I appreciate the _respect_ –" He managed to make it sound like something vile, something false and disgusting. "–but it will still be torment enough to have to sit back and watch you burn planets. At least my father had the decency of being straightforward about his destruction. Your lies and betrayal–" He cut himself off, biting his lip angrily and continuing to stare at the ceiling.

Sendak balked. What betrayal could Lotor possibly be talking about? That he had left him to his exile? “I have never lied to you, Lotor. Never. And I do not intend to change that now.”

He couldn’t help taking a step closer. “I _wanted_ to come for you, but I couldn’t. He made sure of that.” He wanted to reach out and take Lotor’s hand, reassure himself that he was real, but he didn’t.

“Please.” He wasn’t even sure what he was asking for.

Lotor gave him a look that was dubious and disdainful. "Exile was the best thing that ever happened to me. If you had come after me to try to drag me back to the hellhole of Central Command, I would have killed you."

His expression then shifted into something melancholy. Defeated. "Don't try to trick me into believing that you don't know what I'm talking about." Though his voice still held some venom, he also sounded very tired. "If you had simply conquered them, thousands or even millions would have died, but it would have been expected and normal. I would have forgiven you. But your trick, this game you played killed _all_ of them, over a _billion_ sentients and thousands of unique species, and for what? Just to get rid of me? To gain even more of my father's favor??"

Sendak furrowed his brow. He was completely lost. “When your father found out I was using your methods, he had the planet destroyed. We never could have convinced him, Lotor.” Memories of the throne room flashed in his mind. “I don’t know what he told you. He told me you’d left, happy for a way out of our marriage.”

He paused, taking another step closer. “Whatever your father claimed, I swear to you, Lotor, I had nothing to do with it. He asked me to let the blame fall to you, but I refused.” He subconsciously flexed the fingers of his metal arm. He still remembered his blood on the sand, the blade at his throat, the sight burned into his vision.

"You–" Lotor frowned uneasily, going silent.

Sendak hesitated for a moment, but it seemed that Lotor was still trying to process his words. He reached out inquisitively, gesturing at the restraints.

Lotor blinked uncomprehendingly for a moment, then rotated his wrists against the restraints, looking down at them absently. "Yeah," he answered quietly. "I won't try to pull the medical equipment off."

Sendak felt a strong pang of concern in the pit of his stomach. Lotor was always aware of his surroundings. His absent-mindedness was alarming. 

He pulled up a chair to Lotor’s bedside and began undoing the cuffs carefully. He repeated the function of each tube and monitor that the medic had explained back to Lotor, knowing Lotor preferred to be aware of these things. Then, he folded his hands in his lap, waiting for Lotor to speak first.

Finally, Lotor ventured, “I thought… I was told that you were the one who revealed to him that I had taken control of the colony. I didn't want to believe him, but he showed me the reports." He sounded uneasy and unsure.

“Reports?” Sendak frowned. “I never spoke to him about the colony. When he confronted me about it, you were already gone.” He released a long breath and touched his metal arm again. “I refused when he asked me to renounce my involvement and let the blame fall to you. I wouldn’t do it.”

Lotor looked at him intently, as if trying to gauge his sincerity. Finally, he dropped his gaze with a long exhale. "I should have known. I should have realized that the reports were forgeries, but I was so devastated at the time..."

His gaze wandered to Sendak's prosthetic arm, and he frowned at it as he assessed it. "What did he do to you? I imagine the punishment must have been severe if you refused his offers of mercy. How did you end up as his right hand after all that?"

The question brought back flashes of things he’d rather forget, and he couldn’t help but cringe slightly. “He... had me fight. In the arena. At first, I thought he just wanted to make an example of me, drag my execution out. A way to show that nobody is safe from the emperor. But then I made a mistake in a fight. I thought I was going to die, but he had me hauled to the witch’s lab to patch me up and send me back out.” He studied his arm absently, clicking the fingers together.

“I tried, Lotor, I resisted as long as I could, but every time it got to the point where they would send me back out, they asked me to swear fealty to him again. Eventually...”

Sendak shook his head. “I think he let me rise through the ranks again and end up at his side to show that he’d broken me. That I’d never betray him.” _And I don’t think I would have._

He studied Lotor’s face. He had never thought he’d see it again. “I’m sorry.”

Lotor was silent for a moment and looked away, appearing devastated by the news. "I-if I'd known, I could have–" He then cut himself off, shaking his head, and his expression hardened. "No. If my father and the witch were that determined to keep you and break you, the chances of anyone being able to get you out would have been miniscule. Even if I had known, by the time I had the kind of resources to even try, it would have been too late regardless."

He still looked troubled, and he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before finally asking, "Why did you even try to resist? You must have known that my fate was sealed either way, so why did you refuse the offer of mercy? If... I mean, if even _I_ had been in that situation, I would have said whatever he wanted to hear in the hopes that he would believe me and go easy on me. Why did you stand by your actions – _my_ actions?"

Sendak took a deep breath and looked away. He couldn’t take Lotor’s piercing gaze right now. It had the uncanny ability to draw the truth right out of him and he was certain this truth, one Sendak had been sitting on for millennia, was the last thing Lotor wanted to hear right now. Nevertheless, he owed it to him.

“I couldn’t do it.” His voice was a near whisper. “Maybe I should have, for both our sakes, but I couldn’t.”

Despite himself he smiled slightly at the memory. He didn’t regret any of the things he’d said to Zarkon that day. “I was angry at him and _worried_ about you, and then he insulted you, and I don’t even remember what came over me. To hear him call you a liar and manipulative, to hear him casually mention he’d annulled our marriage... I was just so angry because...”

He finally stopped fleeing from Lotor’s eyes and met them. He might as well tell him.

“I– I’ve loved you for a long time. I know it’s probably foolish and stupid, but it’s the truth. I owe you this honesty after all this time.” He looked at Lotor expectantly, and there was sadness in his gaze, but it also felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Lotor froze, lips parting and eyes wide with shock. He blinked a few times and swallowed hard, but even so, no words seemed to come to him. The look in his eyes, however, was not one of anger or offense, but rather... regret, perhaps.

He moved his hand to rest on top of Sendak's natural one in silent reassurance as he closed his eyes. Finally, he found his voice again. "When?" His voice was quiet and low. "When did you fall for me? When did you realize it?" He opened his eyes again, watching for Sendak's answer.

Lotor’s touch was so gentle. Sendak hesitantly held Lotor’s hand and ran his thumb over it, watching what he was doing absently.

It was strange to acknowledge it, like speaking about it made it real. “After our wedding I began to admire you. How you never let anything get to you, how you kept your head high even if people figuratively spat in your face. You were so strong and nobody else seemed to notice it and I realized that, for a long time, I hadn’t either.” He sighed. He couldn’t believe his own idiocy, looking back.

“And then you called me and told me to pick you up because some creep decided he was entitled to you. He didn’t just _want_ you, he wanted to _hurt_ you. I saw it in his eyes and it made me so angry. Angrier than I had a right to be.”

He tightened his grip on Lotor’s hand minutely, just to reassure himself this was real. “When you proposed our _arrangement_ , I hadn’t really thought about it. But then you woke up in my arms, and you looked like you felt safe and comfortable, and I realized– I realized that I wanted this. I wanted you. All of you, not just the sex. I realized I just wanted to lay there and hold you for as long as either of us dared.” It was one of his fondest memories, holding Lotor the morning after their first time together as he nuzzled his chest. “But I knew you didn’t want that... so I tried to bury it.”

He finally looked into Lotor’s eyes again. “I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything. This is my issue and mine alone, Lotor, and if you want me to never speak of it again, then so be it.”

Lotor's expression crumpled into one of pure regret, pained and sorrowful, as he held Sendak's gaze. "I... I'm so sorry. I should have realized sooner." He shook his head, closing his eyes as he turned away from Sendak, and yet he tightened his grip on Sendak's hand.

"I was such a fool," he admitted quietly, his voice tight. He kept his gaze averted, avoiding Sendak's eyes. "I never realized until after it was over. All on my own in exile, thinking that you'd betrayed me... I wondered why it hurt so much, why I still _missed you_ even though I hated you. That's when I finally realized that what I was feeling, and by then, it was too late." His lower lip began to tremble, and he bit it to stop it. Still, he kept his grip tight on Sendak's hand, keeping him from leaving.

Sendak was speechless. He had never dared hope that Lotor might return his feelings. He had imagined it, certainly, but it was something he’d deemed unattainable. And now Lotor was–

He released a sharp breath through his nose. It had been so long since he’d thought about Lotor without some form of bitter regret accompanying it. He held Lotor’s hand tighter and reached out with his prosthetic. The smaller model he used daily still dwarfed Lotor’s jaw when he cupped it to gently turn his head in his direction.

“You have _nothing_ to be sorry for.”

Lotor's eyes shone with conflicted emotions, and he closed them briefly while he brought his other hand up to cup the back of Sendak's prosthetic one and keep it in place as he tilted his head into it. When he met Sendak's gaze again, he gave him a small smile.

"It's been so long, but knowing now after all this time that you really did care, that you never betrayed me, and that your feelings are the same as mine..." His smile grew a little, still pained around the edges but also hopeful. "It's soothing a wound that I didn't realize still hurt."

He sighed, looking uncertain and a little wistful. "I have a lot to think about. So much has happened all at once, and I think it would be foolish for me to make any decisions or promises until I have had a chance to process it." He pulled his hand away from Sendak's prosthetic one, though he didn't let go of his natural one yet.

"Before you go, I need to know what's going to happen to me." He looked up at Sendak with some concern but without any true fear. "I believe you now that you plan to keep me safe, but... what comes next?"

Sendak let his hand linger on Lotor’s jaw for a moment longer. His prosthetic wasn’t as good in sensory feedback as his natural hand, but he could still feel the warmth of Lotor’s skin under his fingers. He brought the prosthetic to rest above his natural hand, holding Lotor’s between them.

The truth was that he didn’t know what would come next. He’d been so solely focused on saving Lotor’s life that he hadn’t considered what might come after. He studied Lotor’s form, still under the sheets of the medical ward.

“You need to rest, you were badly hurt.” The sight of Lotor’s limp form, shooting down the steps of the Kral Zera, was still fresh in his mind. It made his stomach turn. “After that... it’s up to you. You can leave if you want to.” He averted his eyes to keep from showing his dislike of the thought.

“Or you can stay. We could,” he paused; maybe this was too much to ask, but then again, there was no harm in it. “We could start again, if you want. Do it right this time.”

He squeezed Lotor’s hand in reassurance. “You don’t have to decide now, but I could at least get you into a proper bed if you’d like.”

Lotor was quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful. Finally, he said, "I should stay. There are places I could run to, but more and more of the old places I used to hide in are now allying themselves with Voltron. The last thing I want to do is end up in their hands again. They have betrayed and hindered me, and they will likely try to kill you and cause further instability within the empire. You'll need my help to negotiate with or stop them."

His eyes flashed with sudden realization. "I need to retract my oath. Now that I know my oath was based on a lie, I can take it back without shame." He cleared his throat and sat up as well as he could.

"Sendak, I renounce my oath to kill you, as it was based on a lie, and you do not deserve death. Instead, as long as you seek to be a fair ruler and to minimize destruction, I promise to instead support your rule."

With that, he relaxed back again, giving Sendak a tired smile. "I need to think on any further decisions about what exactly I want to do. In any case, for now, I would appreciate that proper bed. I already feel tired again."

Sendak released a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding at Lotor’s words. A part of him had still been nervous about Lotor’s oath. He smiled at him now. “Thank you.”

He took a moment to appreciate the delicate lines of Lotor’s face. “I would love for you to stay. I never planned for this. Lotor, I– I would like your help.” He stopped himself before he could continue along that line. Lotor needed rest. He looked exhausted.

Sendak stood from his seat slowly. “The imperial suite has additional rooms. It’s safest if you’re close to me, so I’ll have them move you to one of them, if that’s alright.” With one last gentle squeeze of Lotor’s hand, he carefully placed it on the bed again.

"Thank you." Lotor smiled gratefully at his offer. "I appreciate the extra security, and it will be convenient to be closer to you. Just have a datapad sent to me, and I can start helping you mitigate the chaos."

Slumping back into the bed, he exhaled deeply, and he closed his eyes for a moment before slowly opening them again. "Perhaps... they could move me later," he commented quietly, ending with a deep yawn. His eyes closed again, and he looked on the verge of falling back asleep.

Sendak looked at Lotor’s complexion, still pale and exhausted. It was so like him to offer his immediate assistance even though he could barely sit upright. He smiled to himself. He had almost forgotten about Lotor’s tendency to overwork himself.

He snapped back to the present. The idea of Lotor spending the night in the med bay wasn’t something he wanted to consider.

“I think you’d sleep a lot better in a real bed, and I’d sleep a lot better knowing that nobody can get to you.” He leaned over Lotor and brushed a bit of hair out of his face. “And I’ll give you a datapad, but please rest, Lotor, you need it.”

"Hmmm," Lotor hummed noncommittally. His eyelids fluttered open to look at Sendak again. "Fine, but someone's going to have to move me." He didn't look too happy at that prospect.

The two of them had spoken before, a very long time ago, about Lotor's general distrust of doctors and distaste for having unfamiliar hands all over his body. Now, his expression showed that same sort of uneasiness at the idea of being relocated before he was strong enough to move himself.

Sendak sighed. He didn’t want Lotor to think he was taking advantage of the situation. He knew he hated any loss of control, and this whole thing was–

He stopped himself. They would deal with everything later.

Touching Lotor’s shoulder lightly, he stood up and gestured vaguely to the former prince’s body. “Should I…?”

Lotor's eyes widened, but then he nodded and gave him a tiny smile of approval, shifting a little to make it easier for Sendak to gently slide under Lotor’s frame and cradle him to his chest. The moment he was in Sendak's arms, Lotor relaxed, burying his face into the larger Galra's chest.

Sendak looked down at Lotor. He was so small, it was easy to forget how strong he was, how capable. “It’s alright. I’ve got you,” he said softly and began walking towards the imperial suite.

"Thank you," Lotor murmured, so quiet and muffled against Sendak's chest that it was barely audible.

Sendak held him tighter at his mumbled words. He hadn’t actively realized how much he’d missed Lotor, and now it hit him all at once.

When the time came to set Lotor down on the bed, he didn’t want to let go, but Lotor needed his rest. Reluctantly, he pulled the sheets back and tucked Lotor in. “Rest now.”

Gently squeezing Lotor’s hand, he reached back and pulled out his datapad. He had another one as a backup. He held the device out to Lotor. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Lotor accepted the datapad and immediately set it aside, nodding and blinking tiredly. "Thanks," he murmured. "Good idea."

With that, he closed his eyes and took slow, even breaths


	7. The Knife

It had been nearly two weeks since Lotor had woken up, and he had finally been released from mandatory bed rest – not that he had been particularly good about obeying bed rest in the first place. In any case, while he was still going to be sore for some time yet, he was mostly recovered.

The first thing Lotor had insisted on doing, since he was finally cleared by the medics to be allowed to stand as long as he wanted, was to take a proper shower. Now, dressed in comfortable clothes and with his damp hair brushed out, he appeared to be back to his usual self.

He looked over at Sendak curiously. "You promised dinner tonight?"

“If you’re feeling well enough.” He knew Lotor wouldn’t spend a single moment in bed that wasn’t necessary now that he’d been cleared, but that didn’t stop him from asking. Knowing that Lotor would most likely accept, he stretched out his hand for Lotor to take.

Lotor smiled as he did indeed accept Sendak's hand. "Of course. I could use a mild change of scenery."

As they walked, Lotor lightly squeezed his hand. Dinner had already been set out, so when they reached the dining room, Lotor looked over the meal spread with a satisfied smile. "This all looks lovely."

Sendak smiled and pulled out Lotor’s chair. “One of the perks of being the emperor, I suppose.”

"I would say I wouldn't know such perks," Lotor quipped, "but I suppose I did enjoy a few of them as Emperor Pro Tem." He gave a smile, though it was tinged with a bit of thoughtfulness, or perhaps remembrance. "It was only phoebs ago, yet it feels so much longer."

Sendak opened a bottle of _vini_ and poured him a glass. “I hope it’s to your liking,” he said with a fond smile.

Picking up the drink, Lotor took a sip and raised an eyebrow, impressed. "One of my favourites. Did you do that on purpose, or was it the staff that remembered that I insisted on this after a long day as Pro Tem? Or perhaps just a coincidence?”

Sendak poured his own glass. “I remembered you enjoying it during our dinners.” It felt like lifetimes ago. “It was an educated guess that you still liked it.”

He sat down facing Lotor, and he could see Lotor’s touched smile as he continued, “You deserve it after you probably kept Ladnok and Trugg from blowing up that supply base by sending them to different sectors. Who knows what would have happened if their paths had crossed. Although...” his voice took on a teasing tone. “You _were_ supposed to be resting.”

Lotor scoffed, though he was still smiling. "Please. Running supply routes _is_ resting. I practically did it in my sleep."

After taking another sip of his wine, he added in a prompting tone of voice, "Though, of course, I can do more now to help you rule, especially if we, perhaps, did something to give me back a proper title and restore my power...?" He looked over at Sendak curiously, almost a little nervously. “I know we lightly discussed… before, and I think perhaps now…” He bit his lip, shutting himself up.

Sendak let his hand drift over the bump in his pocket, where the knife had been for the past millennia. He hadn’t wanted to push Lotor into anything he wasn’t ready for, but now he was asking and... he was right, and there was nothing Sendak wanted more.

He rose from his seat and made his way over to Lotor’s side, dropping to one knee before him as was proper. As he deserved. Lotor was a prince, and Sendak would make sure he was finally treated as such. Taking one of Lotor’s hands in both of his, he looked into his eyes, a blue speck amongst the dominant purple of the ship, shining bright.

Lotor's eyes widened as Sendak walked around the table towards him, and he covered his mouth with one hand. When Sendak took his other hand, he lightly squeezed back, and he pulled his other hand away from his mouth. The set of his mouth was neutral, but his eyes were wide as he looked steadily at Sendak.

“Lotor,” Sendak took a deep breath, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “After I realized I loved you, I always wished we’d had a moment like this. Just us. Where I got to tell you all the things I felt. I never thought the day would come where I might have this chance, and I’m grateful. You’re the strongest person I have ever met. Everyone is constantly trying to knock you down but you do not yield, and if you fall you get right back up. It’s inspiring. You handle political problems with a precision and efficiency I could only dream of.” He smiled, remembering all the times Lotor’s silver tongue had likely saved them both. “I’ve loved you for so long now that I can barely remember what it felt like not to.” He leaned closer. “I can restore your former titles and power if you wish, make you a prince again and give you territories and everything that you had before, and I will make sure people respect your authority.” He paused, studying Lotor’s face, but it was unreadable, so he continued. “Or... you could be my equal in everything. You could rule by my side as my Prince Consort. My husband.”

He finally pulled the gift out of his pocket. The luxite blade, small but elegant and powerful, shone even after all this time. He held it out to Lotor now hilt-first, the blade poised to pierce Sendak’s own throat. It was an ancient tradition from the days where the Galra had been but scattered clans on Daibazaal. To place one’s life in another’s hands was a significant gesture of trust even now. The offer was a silent question by itself but…

“Lotor, will you marry me?”

Lotor’s lips parted in awe as he looked at the blade, and he looked at Sendak in wonder. Luxite took time to forge and to bond to a person, usually over a phoeb if the bonded owner was not present for the process of forging the weapon. It was apparent that this blade must have been made all that time ago.

His hand shook slightly as he accepted the blade, immediately backing it off from Sendak's neck. "May I turn this blade on myself before I ever use it on you," he answered softly, the traditional way to accept such a proposal. He smiled, soft and full of emotion, and added, "Yes. Yes, of course I will. I never want to leave your side again."

He gently set the knife on the table before cupping Sendak's face with both hands, bending down to kiss him. It was gentle. Sweet. Soft. All the things Sendak had always wanted it to be. He placed his hand on the nape of Lotor’s neck, gently coaxing him closer.

When they broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against Lotor’s, still not quite believing it. “I love you, Lotor,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “I’ve missed you.”

Lotor slid off of the chair, kneeling in front of Sendak. He wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his chest.

Pulling back just enough to smile up at Sendak, Lotor murmured, "I love you too." He laid his head against Sendak's chest. "You will never have to miss me again. No one is going to come between us now."

Sendak smiled softly and ran his fingers through Lotor’s silky hair. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy. And Lotor was right, nobody would come between them now, nobody would dare.

He tilted Lotor’s head up and kissed him again, holding him tight. Lotor reciprocated eagerly and smiled into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around the back of Sendak's neck, pulling him yet closer as he pressed his body up against the young emperor's.

After a moment, Lotor pulled back just enough to whisper, "Let's go somewhere more comfortable."

Sendak’s eyes widened, and then he smirked and kissed Lotor again, trailing his hands to Lotor’s hips and pressing him flush to his body. He maneuvered Lotor’s legs around his waist and stood, still kissing him. “As you wish, my love.”

Peppering small kissed along the line of Lotor’s jaw he walked to his bedroom. _Their_ bedroom. His breath caught in his throat when he placed Lotor on the edge of the bed. He ran his thumb over Lotor’s cheekbone and along his jaw. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

Lotor smiled softly and sincerely, looking into Sendak's natural eye with a steady gaze as he ran his fingers through the fur on the back of his head. "Over the millennia, I've had hundreds of partners of all races and genders, all sizes and types of appeal. And yet..." He moved one hand to rest over Sendak's on the side of his face. "And yet I could never forget about you." He leaned forward to press a kiss to Sendak's cheek, then the corner of his mouth, then his lips.

Pulling back and smirking a little, he started unbuckling Sendak's armor, letting the pieces fall to the floor and leaving Sendak in just his undersuit. His voice dropped low as he murmured, "The past couple of weeks have been torturous. I knew you would not dare touch me until the doctors said I was well, and yet having you so close by and knowing that you wanted me..."

Sendak couldn’t get Lotor out of his soft shirt fast enough. He left kisses and nips on every inch of exposed skin as he lifted the shirt over Lotor’s head. He studied Lotor’s torso, the tapestry of scars both new and old on it. A warrior who had walked away from countless battlefields, that’s what he was. Sendak ran his hands down Lotor’s sides. Lotor was already unbearably attractive but his scars made him impossibly more so. They were a testament to his strength, his abilities.

Sendak grazed his fangs over the center of Lotor’s chest. He wanted to taste him again after so long. “I’ll have to make it up to you, then.”

Lotor chuckled, continuing his work of undressing Sendak. "By all means, please do."

Once he had pulled the top half of Sendak's undersuit down, Lotor looked over his torso with a thoughtful expression. "You are even more handsome now than I remember."

Then, smirking, he lightly pushed Sendak away. "Finish undressing for me. I want to see all of you." He watched closely, eyes following Sendak's hands.

Sendak smirked back. “Yes, your highness.”

His eyes did not stray from Lotor’s lithe form on the bed as he stripped out of his suit with brutal efficiency and then drew himself up to his full height. He cocked his head teasingly and nodded for Lotor to proceed with his own clothes.

Lotor smirked at the sight of Sendak's body and let his gaze wander over every inch of it. He had a look of hunger in his eyes, but also mischief.

He crawled backwards onto the bed more, changing his orientation relative to it so that his head was toward the headboard. Then, laying back, he pulled both his pants and his underwear down in one smooth motion, drawing them over his legs without sitting up. Once he'd tossed them aside, he spread his legs invitingly and draped his arms above his head.

"Well, darling?" His expression took on a hint of challenge. "Come on. _Take me_."

Sendak’s breath caught in his throat and his cock twitched. This was... _different_. Lotor had always been demanding but never like this, sprawled out on the bed decadently, waiting to be worshipped.

Sendak couldn’t get there fast enough, he practically pounced. He needed him. All those years and nobody had ever come close to Lotor, not in any way that mattered. He loomed over him and took a moment to let his eyes wander over every inch of him. “You’re perfect.”

Lotor chuckled, his laughter a sound of pure delight. He looked up at Sendak with a mixture of amusement and satisfaction and desire, like he had not a single worry in the universe, nothing on his mind except his lover.

A subtle blush darkened his cheeks, and his smile softened. "As are you," he replied quietly, just barely loud enough for Sendak to hear clearly. Then, he reached one hand up to thread his fingers into the fur on the back of Sendak's head, pulling him down into a kiss.

It was hungry and impatient. They were both starving for the other and they couldn’t get enough. Sendak tangled his hand in Lotor’s hair, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss. He had never kissed Lotor before. Not like this. They had shared small pecks and such in public to keep up the image of their marriage but Lotor had never wanted to be kissed in private, not on the lips. Those lips were soft and hot now, and Sendak swallowed the small sounds that fell from them.

He used his prosthetic to pull Lotor’s body flush against his chest. He never wanted to let go of him. He let his hand wander down Lotor’s back to the curve of his ass and released an approving growl as he squeezed it.

Lotor moaned into Sendak's mouth, pressing harder into the kiss like he was afraid it would end too soon otherwise. He pulled Sendak as if he could get him any closer, wrapping one arm around Sendak's back and leaving his other hand on the back of his head.

Only after a long moment like this did Lotor finally pull back to breathe, panting heavily and eyes glazed over with pleasure. He rutted his hips, letting his hardening cock press up impatiently against Sendak's abs. Breathlessly, he murmured, "Don't keep me waiting, love."

Sendak smirked. “Still so impatient.”

He reached over to his bedside table and pulled out the lube. After slicking up his fingers, he held Lotor’s hips down in the unbreakable grip of his prosthetic. He did not break eye contact as he lightly grazed Lotor’s soft skin with his fangs and ran a teasing finger around his rim.

“I want to hear you.”

With a small whimper, Lotor tried and failed to buck his hips up. "Sen..." He bit his lip, holding back any further pleas.

Despite his efforts, however, he could not quite keep back a needy whine, and he finally relented after another moment of teasing. "Sendak, _please_ , I need you..."

_Fuck._

He would have given Lotor anything regardless, but his begging went straight to Sendak’s cock. 

“I could never refuse such a sweet request.” He pressed a kiss to the place his fangs had been a moment before and plunged his finger inside Lotor slowly, carefully. He didn’t want to injure him, so he’d stretch him out gently.

A low groan slipped from Lotor's lips, and he tilted his head back. "More," he demanded. "I can take it. Sendak, _please_."

As he begged, he moved his hands to Sendak's back, digging his claws into the thick fur and skin there. The short claws weren't really enough to hurt Sendak, just enough that he could feel them.

Lotor had always known his own limits and Sendak trusted him, so he added a finger and curled them inside Lotor. He looked better, his hair spread in a halo around his head and his mouth sinfully open. Sendak curled his fingers again and added a third finger.

“Like that?” He released his hold on Lotor’s hip marginally, if only to see what he would do.

" _Yes_." Lotor bucked his hips up the moment Sendak let him, forcing those fingers in deeper. He bit his lip as he groaned needily.

Looking down at Sendak with pleading eyes, Lotor begged, "Come on, love, I want _you_." His eyelids fluttered, but he looked at Sendak again. "I'm ready for you, please..."

Sendak kissed him again as he pulled out his fingers and slicked up his cock. _Fuck_ , he loved kissing Lotor. Placing both hands on Lotor’s hips, he began sliding in slowly. He groaned. Lotor was so hot and tight. It was even better than he remembered, impossibly so.

When he was fully seated, he took a moment to let Lotor settle around him, trailing hungry kisses along his jaw.

Lotor moaned as Sendak pressed into him, and he wrapped his legs around Sendak's waist to pull him closer. His claws dragged along Sendak's back as he squirmed under him.

It didn't take long for Lotor to settle, groaning softly. He moved one hand to the back of Sendak's head to guide him into another kiss. "Don't be a tease, darling," he murmured. "You know I like it a little rough."

Sendak smirked and, without warning, pulled Lotor flush against him and sat up. Lotor sank down on him further, taking him deeper, and Sendak made a sound between a moan and a growl against the side of Lotor’s neck. He ran his hands over Lotor’s back, his sides.

“Fuck you feel so _good_.”

"Oh- _ohhhh_..." Lotor tilted his head back as he settled more deeply onto Sendak's cock in their new position. For one long moment, he stayed still, eyes closed as if to savor the sensation, and he leaned into Sendak's chest.

Then, he started rolling his hips, riding Sendak with long, slow motions. "Mmm, yes..." He moved his hands to Sendak's shoulders, bracing himself and giving himself the leverage he needed to rise up higher, rolling his hips in deeper motions.

Sendak couldn’t think. There was only Lotor. His scent. His sounds of pleasure. The delicious heat of him.

He held Lotor’s hips to steady him, help him, pulling him deeper and moving faster than he would have been able to on his own. Meeting every roll of Lotor’s hips he couldn’t take his eyes off Lotor’s flushed face. He looked beautiful. Regal yet sinful. Perfect.

With every passing moment, Lotor came apart a little more, all composure crumbling away. His breaths turned to panting, and his moans grew steadily louder as his inhibitions faded. He alternated between closing his eyes in pure bliss and looking directly into Sendak's, gazing at him with pure desire.

Shuddering, Lotor once again slumped forward against his lover's chest. " _Sendak_ ," he murmured, desperate and breathless. He buried his face into Sendak's neck and clung tightly to his shoulders. "I'm close. I just need… Sen-!" The rest of his request was lost to a loud moan, and Lotor dug his claws into Sendak's shoulders as he trembled.

He was exquisite like this. Raw and soft as he lost himself in the pleasure. A few more thrusts had Sendak joining him. He tangled a hand in Lotor’s hair and tightened it, moaning as Lotor’s muscles still twitched around him.

It was only them, nothing else existed for a brief moment. He held Lotor tight and nuzzled the top of his head.

Lotor wrapped his arms around the back of Sendak's neck and relaxed completely against him, sighing softly as he settled in. A long moment passed in silent bliss, the two of them simply enjoying each other's presence after so long.

Then, pulling back just slightly, Lotor pressed a soft kiss to Sendak's lips. "I love you." He looked into Sendak's natural eye, smiling softly.

Sendak stroked the back of Lotor’s head, running his fingers through the strands of moonlight hair. Lotor’s eyes were dazzling, a dark shade of blue and purple so different from the empire’s colors. He’d change those, he decided; as soon as Lotor officially joined him at the head of the empire, he would have that striking blue integrated in their banners.

“I love you too,” he whispered and kissed Lotor’s forehead gently.

He didn’t want to let go of him yet, still scared that if he did he would wake up and find that it hadn’t been real.

Lotor's smile brightened, and his eyes sparkled with affection. He moved his hands to cup the sides of Sendak's face, just gently holding him there for a moment as his gaze wandered over Sendak's face and body.

Finally glancing toward the bed, Lotor gently pulled Sendak down, more as a suggestion than any kind of actual force. "Let's lie down. We can clean up later."

Lotor’s voice brought him back to the present. He held him steady, maneuvering them so that Lotor was on top of him and then continued exploring the smooth plane of Lotor’s back with his hands. He was so small, seemed so fragile. Sendak knew he was anything but and that Lotor could make himself the tallest person in the room with a mere change of the tone of his voice.

“I’ve missed that... but I’ve missed this more.”

Lotor could move freely in this position but he was still here in Sendak’s arms. It felt wonderful.

Though he first adjusted his position a little, Lotor soon settled right in, lying on top of Sendak's chest. He rested his head on top of one of Sendak's pecs like a pillow, nuzzling into the fluffy fur there.

"I missed you too." His voice was quiet and a little sleepy. "I feel safe with you. Even before, when I hadn't yet realised I loved you, you made me feel safe."

His hands stilled briefly. He knew how difficult it was to even gain Lotor’s trust. To make him feel safe was almost impossible.

“I’m honored. That means... everything to me.”

And he hadn’t seen it.

“I’m sorry for causing you pain. I know it was beyond my control, but that doesn’t make it better.” He smoothed a thumb over Lotor’s cheekbone. “I’ll make sure it never happens again.”

"It wasn't your fault," Lotor quickly reassured him, looking up to meet Sendak's gaze as well as he could from the angle his head was at. "If I hadn't been such a fool, maybe..." He sighed deeply. "But perhaps not. We were both victims of larger forces at play, and we have no way to know what could have been otherwise."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "I trust that you will do everything in your very considerable power to protect us both. And with my father gone, our only real concern is the witch... and the Voltron coalition, I suppose, but I may be able to negotiate with them, especially if we can kill the witch first and show them that we are ruling differently from how she and my father did."

Sendak growled lowly. It wasn’t directed at Lotor, it never was, but at the threats they faced.

“I agree that it is in our best interest to negotiate with them and I have complete faith in your diplomatic abilities, but I will never forgive the things they did to you, Lotor, _never_.”

He entwined their fingers and brought Lotor’s hand to his lips. “As for the witch... say the word and I’ll have her executed at dawn, but I won’t make that decision for you.”

Lotor stayed quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful and a little distant, before he replied, "The paladins are reckless, but if I can talk to the Black paladin, I may be able to make some progress."

He shifted, sliding off of Sendak's chest and snuggling up against his side instead. There was a hint of desperation in how he pressed himself close and clung to him. "I fear dealing with _her_ may not be so simple. If she suspects that you are going to turn on her, she will likely flee, or she may try to assassinate you to put someone more obedient in your place. I want her dead as soon as possible, but we must be careful."

He was right. As much as Sendak wished he could snap his fingers and solve their problems, Lotor was right.

He nodded his assent and was about to ask Lotor for his preferred course of action when he noticed that they were still naked and filthy. “Do you want me to...?” He gestured to their bodies in silent question.

Lotor stayed silent for a moment, just holding onto Sendak and staying cuddled up like he never wanted to let go. Finally, he released his grip and said, "Yes, we should probably shower and clean up."

Rolling away from Sendak, Lotor made his way to the edge of the bed and stood shakily, looking a little unsteady as he started to head toward the bathroom. "It's been quite a while," he commented by way of explanation before Sendak could even ask. "I haven't been with anyone since I was pulled out of exile."

Sendak was there immediately, one arm around Lotor’s shoulders and the other reaching for his knees. He loved carrying him. Lotor fit perfectly into his arms. Holding him to his chest he began peppering kisses everywhere he could reach.

“I think we should take a bath instead,” he said between kisses and began walking toward the en-suite.

Lotor settled easily into Sendak's arms, snuggling up against his chest and nuzzling his fur. "That sounds lovely... though I may end up falling asleep," he admitted, smiling a little sheepishly.

Sendak smiled back and kissed his temple. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

He ran the bath, adjusting the temperature every so often while still holding Lotor. There was some maneuvering involved, but eventually the bath was ready and he sank into the incredibly large and steaming tub. He released his grip on Lotor enough so that he floated slightly.

Cupping his hand in the water, he began getting Lotor’s hair wet. “Better than a shower, right?”

Lotor settled in, relaxing into the water, and he smiled as Sendak started to wash his hair. "Mmm, yes. You really do have wonderful ideas, darling."

Reciprocating the favor, Lotor started to get more of Sendak's fur wet, taking care to direct the water over the top and back of his head. He then reached for the fur shampoo nearby, looking to Sendak for confirmation.

Sendak smiled and nodded. “Alright but you’re next, I want to take care of you.” He lowered his head to make it easier for Lotor to reach.

He loved this. These moments were what he’d missed most, when they could just _be together_.

Lotor chuckled softly as he set to work, lathering the shampoo through Sendak's thick fur. He worked it over his fiance's head, neck, and shoulders -- everything above the water. Then, he carefully rinsed it all out, making sure that none of the soap ran into Sendak's natural eye.

Once he'd finished, Lotor laid against his fiance's chest, resting his head on his broad shoulder. He settled in, purring lightly at his lover's touch.

Sendak pressed a kiss to the top of Lotor’s head. His hair was already wet so he washed it, twice, and then used conditioner, massaging Lotor’s scalp.

He looked so relaxed, purring softly. Sendak left a peck on the tip of his nose as he rinsed out the conditioner. “You’re so pretty.”

Lotor purred a little louder as Sendak finished up and complimented him. His eyes kept drifting closed, and he looked to be on the verge of falling asleep. "Mmm, thanks," he murmured. "High compliment from you... hot stuff..."

Nuzzling into the damp fur at Sendak's neck, Lotor relaxed completely against him, and his breathing slowed down. His gentle purrs also grew quieter and then stopped as he drifted off to sleep.

Sendak flushed despite himself. After all this time he thought it would be impossible to fluster him but Lotor, sleepy and uninhibited as he was, seemingly still had the ability.

He carried Lotor out of the bath. Thanking the fact that Lotor was small enough that he could support him with one arm, he wrapped Lotor’s hair up in a towel and stepped through the dryer still carrying him. He quickly made his way to their bed, reaching out for Lotor’s hairbrush.

Sendak could tell he wasn’t completely asleep yet, but he was evidently much too tired to brush his hair and he would be upset if it was tangled tomorrow. Removing the towel, he brushed out the damp strands.

Lotor stirred a little, humming inquisitively, but he readjusted and settled face down into the bed. His purring resumed as Sendak continued to brush his hair, and he kept purring softly even after Sendak finished.

The moment Sendak was done, Lotor rolled onto his side, barely opening his eyes to slits to look for him. "Sen..." His eyelids fluttered closed again, showing just how tired he truly was.

Sendak hushed him, stroking his hair and reaching for the sheets. “It’s alright, baby, I’m here.”

He settled down next to Lotor and pulled him close to his chest, a hand on the back of his neck. “I’ll always be here,” he murmured and began drifting off himself.

Lotor nuzzled into him, purring a little bit louder for a moment before quieting again. It took mere moments for his purring to stop altogether as he drifted back off to sleep.

Sendak gave him one last kiss for the night and then let sleep claim him, his purr still rumbling through his body.


	8. Allies and Enemies

When Sendak woke up, Lotor was still pressed up against him, his breathing even and calm. He glanced at the timepiece, deciding that they could indulge for a little longer.

Nuzzling the top of Lotor’s head, he took a deep breath of his scent and left some kisses in his wake. Lotor always had a hard time sleeping and he doubted it had gotten better over the years, so he waited patiently for him to wake up naturally, stroking his back as he did.

Lotor stirred slowly, humming inquisitively as he cracked his eyes open. He pulled slightly back to stretch before snuggling back into Sendak's chest.

"Sen..." he mumbled, voice slurred with sleep and muffled against Sendak's fur. "G'... morning."

Lotor was so cute right after waking up.

“Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?” He continued his soothing strokes down Lotor’s back. “I can have breakfast brought in if you’d like. Or we can extend this,” he said with a small smile.

Lotor pulled his head back, blinking several times. "Hmm... breakfast sounds good. Breakfast in bed sounds even better."

Sendak smiled at Lotor’s suggestion. “I always knew you were a genius. Breakfast in bed it is, then.” He typed out a short command on his datapad.

Lotor started to stretch more thoroughly, bringing his arms up as he yawned. He also rubbed his eyes before looking back at Sendak and giving him a sleepy smile. Reaching one hand out to cup Sendak's cheek, he said softly, "I still can't believe that you're here and you're safe and you love me."

His smile slipped, leaving his expression vulnerable and sincere. "I keep wondering when the other shoe is going to drop, when I'm going to find out that it is all some elaborate prank or a vision from Haggar or the like. It seems too ideal to be possible."

Sendak’s heart broke at the sound of Lotor’s voice, the fear in it. He pressed his hand to the back of Lotor’s, looking deep into his eyes.

“I know. It’ll take time. If there’s anything I can do to reassure you just say the word, but know that I’ve never stopped loving you. Sometimes they tried to convince me you were dead or at least gone. Lost. But I looked at that blade and I knew that you were still out there somewhere.”

He tightened his grip reassuringly. “This is real, Lotor.”

Lotor looked into Sendak's eye for a long moment before closing the distance between them, capturing Sendak's lips in a warm kiss. He pressed in harder, slipping his tongue just barely past Sendak's lips before retreating and pulling back to breathe.

His eyes glimmered with emotion as he murmured, "The only reason why it's so hard to believe is because this is nearly everything I wanted. It's almost perfect. And soon, when we've secured our empire and we become remarried, it will be."

The corners of his lips turned up in a little smile. "You on the throne, but with me at your side. Us married again, but for real this time... It's like we're taking everything that was forced on us and reclaiming it as ours."

Sendak smoothed his hand over the back of Lotor’s hair and kissed him again. “Yes. And this time it’s going to be different. I love you.”

He pulled Lotor’s hand to his chest, resting over his heart. “This is yours. It has always been yours, even when I didn’t know it. It will always be yours.” He released a deep breath.

“I know it’s hard to believe but... you deserve this. We deserve to be happy.”

In that moment, a few sentries laden with trays full of various breakfast foods came into the suite, one after the other leaving them on the bed until there was an enormous assortment of delicacies in front of them. Sendak picked up a bite sized piece of fruit and guided it to Lotor’s lips.

“Everything is a lot nicer now, though. We never could have done this before.”

Lotor smirked as he accepted the fruit, and he nodded in agreement. "You're the most powerful man in the universe, my love. We can do whatever we want." He stabbed a bit of breakfast meat with a fork and offered it to Sendak. "Like breakfast in bed."

After they'd exchanged some more food, enjoying the spread before them, Lotor said, "I am looking forward to seeing the looks on everyone's faces when we announce our upcoming wedding. We really should dispose of the witch first, though."

Although the subject was rather grim, Sendak always enjoyed talking strategy and plans with Lotor, so he smiled. “What do you suggest we do?” He took Lotor’s hand and played with the fingers. “I’m not sure how to get to her. Maybe if we had an agent, we could at least figure out what she’s doing and go from there, but she is notorious for combing out spies...”

Lotor chuckled a little as Sendak toyed with his hand, but then he sobered up, looking thoughtful as he started planning. "You're right. If we had someone we could trust that she would not suspect..."

He winced a little, lips pursing in a displeased expression. "If there were some way to reasonably work with my former associates... but I am afraid I have no way to tell what they would do if I approached them. They may very well choose to side with her and alert her."

Picking up a chunk of fruit, he idly turned it over in his fingers. "It would be risky, but perhaps I could reach out to Voltron again. I know they are working with the Blade of Marmora, and the Blade likely has an agent or two already working for Haggar. I would rather not rely on people who are so... inconsistent, but it might convince them to trust us and to not attempt to fight you." He popped the bit of fruit in his mouth and chewed absently, his mouth set in a small scowl.

Sendak frowned. “I trust your judgement, Lotor, but Voltron... they are erratic children that have horrible judgement. They are just as likely to kill you on a whim as they are to assist you.”

He mulled their situation over for a minute. “Maybe... maybe you could contact the Black Paladin. Alone.”

Lotor had told him everything about his time with Voltron, and as far as Sendak was concerned, the paladins weren’t allowed anywhere near him.

“As far as they know, you’re being subjected to torture right now, and they haven’t made a single move to help you.” He shook his head. “I fear Voltron will do more harm than good. Are you certain you couldn’t sway your... former associates?”

Lotor hummed in agreement, looking troubled. "Indeed. Even the Blade, from what I know, can be rather... narrow in their vision of how things 'should' be. And yet we will have to negotiate with them somehow, because they are surely already planning to take you down. I suspect that may be why they are not concerned with trying to rescue me – why worry about one person when they could instead try to 'free' the entire empire? Of course, they do not realize that what they are offering would not be well-received by most Galra..."

He shook his head and exhaled heavily. "I would rather do this myself and with my generals, yes, but the risk of them alerting Haggar if I approach them is too high. If I had some sign, some indication that they may be willing to turn on her, I would take that chance, but even during the Kral Zera, they stayed with her. I fear they would not listen to me." He leaned heavily against Sendak for support, picking idly at the food but not eating.

After a moment, he ventured, "They were also siding with you, finding you as they did and supporting your rise to power. Perhaps if you tried to approach them..."

Sendak slung an arm around Lotor’s shoulder and offered him another piece of food. He needed to eat more; he was still much too thin from the previous months.

“You think that would work? What would I tell them? That I require them for a secret mission? Should I just... comm them?”

The generals, despite their treachery, were a significantly better option than Voltron. Sendak just didn’t know how to approach them. Planning and moving things behind the scenes had always been Lotor’s specialty.

Lotor accepted the food, chewing it slowly as he mulled the problem over. After swallowing, however, he shook his head. "I am not sure. I still fear that they may tell Haggar that you summoned them, which would make her suspicious."

He picked up more of the food and ate it idly, still leaning on Sendak. "I suppose I will have to think this through further. Perhaps I could formulate some plan that does not rely on them, or else some scheme to ensure that you can talk to them without them having a chance to report to their mistress first. I simply cannot think of something on the spot right now."

Sendak pressed a soft kiss to Lotor’s forehead.

“You don’t have to. Not right now. Take your time, my love.” He held Lotor closer and rubbed his cheek against the side of his head, purring softly. “We’ll think of something.”

Lotor gave an answering purr, higher-pitched and quieter than Sendak's. "Thank you. I'll give it some thought later."

Glancing over at the clock, Lotor sat up a little, gently pulling away. "You really should go and take care of your duties. I believe I remember seeing a war council meeting on your schedule coming up in less than a varga."

Sendak sighed. He really didn’t want to leave but... “Sometimes I hate it when you’re right.”

He gave Lotor another kiss and stood, dressing efficiently. He wished he could just stay here with Lotor all day, but the empire waited for no one.

“I love you,” he said and cupped Lotor’s face. “I’ll be back soon. Let me know if you need anything.”

"I will," Lotor replied, nuzzling into Sendak's hand and smiling. "Don't worry about me." His smile turned into a bit of a smirk. "I'm very safe here. After all, I believe everyone knows that the emperor would be quite upset if someone broke into his quarters and dared touch what is his, wouldn't you agree?"

Chuckling softly, he turned his head to kiss Sendak's palm. "I love you too. I'll see you tonight, darling."

Sendak smirked back at him. “See you tonight,” he said and, leaving one last peck on Lotor’s cheek, left.

~*~*~*~

A few days had passed, and Lotor was working on a plan to take out Haggar without any inside assistance. He'd discussed his progress with Sendak, but the plan was nowhere near ready. Every time Lotor thought he had something that would work, he would think of another factor he had not considered and end up having to change it. Frankly speaking, he was running into a wall.

As Sendak came back to the Imperial quarters, he heard laughter through the door that was distinctly not Lotor's, too high-pitched and feminine. He listened more closely and heard Lotor's quieter chuckle as well. When he opened the door, he saw Lotor and Ezor sitting at a table, laughing together like all was right in the universe.

Lotor looked over almost immediately, and his face lit up in a smile. "Darling, welcome back!" He got up quickly and closed the distance in a few long strides, pulling Sendak down into a kiss.

Meanwhile, Ezor stood as well, but she stayed by the table. She brought one hand up to her chest in a silent salute.

Sendak looked between them. They had been talking, laughing, so Sendak was pretty certain she didn’t pose an immediate threat but…

He took Lotor’s hand. “What is she doing here, my love?”

The question was filled with slight suspicion and curiosity more than anything else. He was mostly impressed she had gotten past the various guards and security measures.

"If you're asking how I got in," Ezor chimed in, "I learned from the best." She nodded to Lotor with a smirk.

"She came to ask for my assistance in a plan that she and the other two were making to take both you and the witch down and elevate me to the throne," Lotor explained, squeezing Sendak's hand reassuringly. "Of course, once I explained the situation and that I really would rather keep you alive and on the throne, she agreed to adjust their plan to only target the witch. We've made significant progress on a workable plan just within the last two vargas."

Sendak blinked. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting but it wasn’t... that.

He held Ezor’s gaze. “You were here for him? You were planning to kill me and get him on the throne?”

Ezor shifted a little, but she held his gaze and her salute. "Yes, sir. We started to suspect that Lotor had good reason to, uh..." She grimaced. "...to do the thing that we'd seen as a betrayal. And after seeing what Haggar's been up to, we knew that we couldn't keep following her, so we thought it would be good to get rid of her and put Lotor in charge instead. We kind of assumed you were a puppet. No offense." She shrugged, not really looking apologetic about that assumption.

Sendak stared her down for a long moment and then smirked. “Good. It appears we might get along after all.” He narrowed his eyes marginally. “If you ever make the same mistake again, I will personally see to it that you can’t make it a third time.” He doubted they would, it would be a terribly foolish idea, but he wasn’t prepared to forgive their little unit for shooting Lotor in the back yet. Literally.

Ezor looked sheepish, but she nodded and sat down.

Sendak looked back at Lotor, his expression softening. “So. Do you want to tell me about this plan of yours?”

Lotor gestured to the table and its two chairs. "Here, sit down." There was no third chair, but that didn't seem to bother Lotor, as he simply sat down in Sendak's lap.

There was a tablet projecting a holo-display in the middle, and Lotor flicked through a few different display setups to show Sendak different aspects of the plan, which involved a coordinated outside attack from soldiers working under Sendak and inside attack from the girls suddenly turning on Haggar. He explained it all with a satisfied relish, and Ezor added her own excited interjections here and there. Both were clearly confident and eager to carry out the plan.

Sendak rested his chin on Lotor’s shoulder and steadied his hips with his hands. He loved this, the casual intimacy that had already become second nature to them both in such a short time. He would never tire of it.

He listened attentively. 

When they had finished explaining, Lotor turned to Sendak with a smirk. "Well? What do you think?"

“The timing would have to be impeccable, but other than that it looks perfect. We should move as soon as possible or we risk her finding out about this.” He then addressed Ezor directly. “By when can you finalize preparations?”

Ezor shrugged. "As long as I can get Acxa on board – Zethrid will be easy, she can't fasten her own armor-clasps without me, she's not gonna fight me on this, and if she tries, I'll just threaten no sex for a week – if Acxa's on board with it, she'll probably insist on a day to prep, but then I don't see why we couldn't go for this tomorrow." She looked to Lotor for confirmation.

Lotor nodded slightly. "Indeed. As long as we can set up a reliable and secure line of communication tonight, there will be nothing stopping us from enacting this tomorrow. Nearly all of the pieces are already in place, so we simply need to coordinate our efforts."

“Good. We move tomorrow. There’s no point in delaying this.” He smiled at Lotor from the corner of his eye and squeezed his hips playfully. “Think you can set up a secure channel in the next few...” Sendak really didn’t know how long something like that would take, this was far removed from his area of expertise. “Vargas...? In the meantime, I’ll see to it that we have a strike team in position to move at a moment’s notice.”

Lotor chuckled and lightly nuzzled his head against Sendak's cheek. "It should take far less time than that, provided that I can have communicators, parts, and tools delivered here." He turned his head and pressed a kiss to Sendak's cheek before standing up and walking around to the same side of the table as Ezor while he pulled up a list on the holo-display for them both to look at.

Sendak nodded to Lotor’s datapad. “You have my access codes, I’m sure we can find what you need.”

He nodded at Ezor and stood. “I’ll contact Hepta and have him assemble a team.”

Ezor stiffened, and her gaze snapped right to Sendak. "Wait, uh, not him! He's loyal to Haggar."

Lotor frowned, looking troubled. "We do need to be careful about who we inform of this plan."

"If you want a guy who doesn't get along well with her, I can think of a few," Ezor offered. "A few commanders and lieutenants who went to her for medical treatment and ended up having some experiments run on them while there, mostly." She typed up a short list, a little over half a dozen names, and she turned the holo-display of the list toward Sendak. "Just the ones that come to mind."

One of the names on the list was Haxus.

Sendak’s eyes narrowed. Haxus had received medical attention from Haggar after coming back to the empire half dead as a result of their battle with Voltron while Sendak had still been absent. It occurred to him that Haxus might think him a puppet as well. He felt a pang of guilt at the thought. He should have contacted him but between the empire and Lotor Sendak hadn’t had much time to think of these things.

He nodded at Ezor. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’ll have Haxus assemble a team at once. He likely knows which soldiers are trustworthy and which aren’t.”

Ezor nodded in approval and then turned her attention back to the tablet, dismissing the list she'd written up.

Standing, Sendak looked at Lotor. “I’ll talk to him in person. The comm channels are only marginally secure, and I don’t want to risk it. Do you need anything else you would be unable to get without me?”

Lotor walked around the table to Sendak and went up on his toes to give him a quick kiss. "There's nothing that I know of at the moment, and if I think of something, I will simply wait for you to return. Be careful, love."

Sendak kissed him back. “I will be. I love you.”

With a farewell squeeze of Lotor’s hand, he made his way to the door and stepped through. He had work to do.


	9. Voltron

Sendak hurried through the halls. He had to get to Lotor immediately. As if it wasn’t enough for one day to bring down the witch. Now, just hours later, he had to contend with Voltron running rampant, destroying the newly established peace. He stormed into their rooms, finding his fiancé sitting on the couch. He must’ve tried to get some rest after last night and this morning. Sendak felt terrible for interrupting him.

“Lotor... I need your help. It’s Voltron. They’re attacking commander Lahn’s base and will not respond to our hails. It’s not defenseless, but it won’t hold out against them and everyone on it will die if we do not stop them, not to mention the countless others that depend on the base for supplies. This is senseless destruction and–” Sendak took a deep breath. “I know it’s been a long day, but do you think they might listen to you?”

Lotor's eyes widened as Sendak explained, and he quickly stood up, putting back on the armor pieces he'd taken off. "Quiznak... yes, I'll try to talk to them. If I can speak to the Black Paladin, he might listen."

Once all of his armor was back where it belonged, he nodded to his lover. "Let's call them."

Sendak nodded back and began tapping commands into the comm unit on his wrist. 

“You should address them once the connection is established. They won’t listen to me.”

The comm unit beeped as the channel opened.

Lotor stood up a little straighter, setting his expression into a neutral one. The comm screen opened to show a split view of the paladins inside Voltron, right in the middle of fighting.

Taking a deep breath, Lotor spoke loudly and clearly, "Call off the attack. There is no need to fight anymore."

The paladins all seemed to pause and look at them, at Lotor, with shocked expressions.

“Lotor?” The Black Paladin’s voice was hoarse, likely from shouting orders. His brow furrowed and he looked at a loss. “I – _we_ – thought you were dead...” he shot a glance at Sendak, which he returned with narrowed eyes. “Or worse.”

He looked back at Lotor and there seemed to be something like concern in his eyes.

A flicker of grim emotion passed over Lotor's face before his expression returned to calm neutrality. "Sendak and I have come to a mutual understanding, and I am now advising him on how best to handle the empire – _without_ the destruction that my father caused."

He locked eyes with Shiro. "You trusted me to rule. Trust me now."

The Black Paladin paused for what felt like an eternity, studying Lotor, his armor. He narrowed his eyes. “How do I know _he’s_ not making you say this? I can’t speak for the rest of us, but I can’t take your word on this when you’re compromised.”

On screen, the Pink Paladin – from what Lotor had told Sendak, that had to be Princess Allura – frowned disapprovingly as she looked at Lotor. " _I_ , for one, never came to a formal agreement with you about how we would proceed. I expressly forbade you from attending the Kral Zera. And now you are working for Sendak?" She shook her head. "I don't care whether you are 'compromised.' If you are willing to work with _him_ , you are clearly not the kind of person you pretended to be."

Lotor inhaled deeply. "I am aware that you have had your differences with Sendak in the past, but that was when he was working for my father. Do you have any idea what the repercussions were for disobedience in the Galra army? Your Black Paladin could certainly understand. Rebels were considered no better than slaves. Do not hold Sendak's actions from then against him now."

Allura did not look impressed. "Sendak became emperor a month ago, and nothing has changed. That is enough to prove that he is no different."

Digging his claws into his palms, Lotor balled his hands into fists at his sides, out of the view of the comm screen. "Oddly enough, _Princess_ , it takes time to regain political stability after a power shift." His voice was clipped, tense. "But if you wish to know the true reason behind the lack of change, that was because the witch, Haggar, still held power. As of mere vargas ago, she is gone."

Sendak took his hand and squeezed it in reassurance. There was stunned silence from the paladins as they all stared at them in disbelief. Even the princess was silent. The Black Paladin was the first to recover.

“ _Gone_?”

Sendak couldn’t help himself “It was her thirst for Quintessence that drove the empire in its conquest; without her there is no need for such things.”

There was something like hesitation in the Black Paladin’s eyes as he exchanged looks with his team. The princess didn’t seem inclined to meet his eyes. “We need proof of your claims but in the meantime–”

"Why should we believe that you would do such a thing?" Allura interrupted. "Haggar is extremely powerful. Even if you _could_ kill her, that would leave you without any defense against us."

Turning her attention to Shiro, she continued, "This is ludicrous. They are simply saying whatever they think will motivate us to stop attacking."

Lotor squeezed Sendak's hand. He looked mostly composed, but Sendak had known him long enough to be able to see the tension written in every line of his body.

“Allura.” The Black Paladin’s voice was strained. “Stand down; this is not the time. If we have a chance at peace we need to take it, and if they’re lying we can try it your way. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

He looked back at them and nodded once. “We will meet on neutral ground in one varga.”

The princess seemed inclined to disagree but the Black Paladin shot her a meaningful look.

He glanced back at Lotor. “What are your terms?”

"For now, merely cease the attack on the base," Lotor replied. "We will discuss our options for long-term peace when we can do so in person and I can provide proof of my claims."

Pulling up a map installed into the comm system, Lotor pointed to a planet that had no Galra military presence but was also not involved in the Voltron Coalition. "Is this location agreeable?"

The Black Paladin frowned at the map before nodding in agreement. “Yes.”

He glanced at Sendak. “I suggest you leave your fleet out of range.” He looked back at Lotor. “I want this to be true, but I will not risk my team’s safety more than I have to.”

"We will," Lotor agreed, "provided that you leave your Castle out of range as well. Come only in Voltron, and we will come in one ship."

It took a lot of self control, but Sendak managed to remain impassive as the paladins agreed to their terms. As soon as the link went dark, he turned to Lotor. “We can’t let them come in Voltron. They’ll blow any shuttle out of the sky.”

Even if this was the only way to get Voltron to meet with them, it wasn’t worth their lives. It wasn’t worth Lotor’s life.

Lotor looked up at him and smirked. "Not to worry. I have an idea." He flicked through a few settings on the comm to open up an internal call.

Acxa's face appeared onscreen. "Lotor."

"Tell me, do you know what happened to the Sincline ship that you, Ezor, and Zethrid took when we parted ways?"

"Haggar took it for study and experimentation."

"Prepare the ship and notify Ezor and Zethrid. We have a meeting to attend."

"Yes, Lotor."

The line cut off, and Lotor looked to Sendak again. "My ship is strong enough and fast enough to withstand and avoid attacks from Voltron. It will not be enough to defeat them if they decide to fight, but it will keep us safe."

Sendak held Lotor’s hand tighter and brought it to rest over his heart, cupping the back of Lotor’s head with his other hand and pulling him close. “Alright, my love.”

He glanced back at the place where the projection of Acxa was moments ago. “We _should_ take them. I don’t fully trust them yet but... they’re good. We need them in case Voltron attempts to start another war by firing on us.”

"I am glad you agree." Lotor brought his free hand up to hold onto Sendak's shoulder. "I am not planning to fully pardon them for a little while yet, but I know them well. I know why they turned, and I highly doubt they would do so again."

Glancing at the time, Lotor said softly, "We have a few doboshes to spare. Perhaps we could sit down and rest."

Sendak planted a kiss on Lotor’s forehead before picking him up as if he weighed nothing and sitting back down on Lotor’s vacated spot on the couch, turning Lotor to let his head rest on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he kissed Lotor’s temple. “I wanted you to rest some more before we did anything else. I know you were up all night planning. You deserve a break, not another universal crisis.”

He sighed and nuzzled Lotor’s hair. “Rest. Close your eyes just for a moment. Your alarm will alert us with plenty of time left to leave. I’ll take care of you.” He wrapped his hand around Lotor, steadying him. Shielding him.

Lotor settled in, laying against Sendak's chest. "I shouldn't sleep, but I could use a moment to rest," he admitted, closing his eyes.

"Do not worry about me. I will be fine, but..." He rested a hand on Sendak's arm. "Thank you, love."

Sendak smiled and stroked Lotor’s hip in gentle circles with his thumb as he felt him relax against him.

When the alarm chimed from Lotor’s wrist, announcing a meeting within enough time to arrive, it felt like no time at all had passed. He dismissed the alarm with a swipe over Lotor’s wrist and waited for him to rouse.

“We have to go, my love.”

Lotor eyes slowly blinked open, and he yawned and stretched. "Mmm... thank you, darling..."

Standing up and stretching more, he asked with a hint of snark, "What percent chance of disaster does this meeting have if we bring up all of the cruel things Voltron has done? I estimate 97% if we include all events that we know of, but only about 85% if we restrain our accusations to merely what they have done to us personally. I know we cannot afford the risk, but..." He smiled maliciously. "...it would feel so satisfying."

Sendak smirked. “I thought _you_ were supposed to be the voice of reason.”

He held Lotor’s hands in his and stood. “If you want someone to discourage you, you’re talking to the wrong person.” Reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind Lotor’s ear, he continued, “Whatever you decide, I’ll be there with you.”

He dropped his voice into a conspiratorial murmur. “Just between us, though, I would love to see that.”

Lotor chuckled wryly. "I suppose we will have to see how everything goes. I know we cannot afford to aggravate them, but... it _would_ feel marvelous."

He popped open a hidden compartment in his armguard to reveal the tiny Luxite blade that Sendak had given him. "Make sure you have a hidden weapon. They may ask us to disarm."

Sendak smiled fondly at the blade. Smoothing his hand over the hidden compartment, he closed it with a faint click.

“My weapons are integrated in my prosthetic. If the paladins of Voltron wish to ask the emperor of the Galra to remove his arm then they are welcome to do so.” He shot Lotor a conspiratorial glance as he took his hand and began leading him out the door. “If they dare.”

Lotor smiled at Sendak's comment. "Indeed, that would likely not go over well. Besides, it would only be fair if the Black Paladin also removed his prosthetic, which I doubt he would."

They quickly made their way to the Sincline ship, where they found Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid waiting for them. All three girls saluted to the couple. "The ship is ready for takeoff," Acxa informed them.

"Excellent." Lotor climbed up into the cockpit of the ship. "I can pilot us there.”

Sendak was sure that Lotor was probably stressed and tired, but knowing him, he’d probably consider it relaxing to pilot the ship.

He stood behind him once they had taken off and Lotor activated the autopilot. “Are you alright?” Lotor didn’t like to talk about his feelings, but Sendak hoped to be the exception to the rule. He wanted to know how he felt.

"Hmm?" Lotor looked up curiously, but then his expression softened into something understanding and sympathetic. "No need to worry. I am rather tired, certainly, and displeased about having our victorious evening interrupted, but I am fine overall."

Raising an eyebrow, he turned the question back on Sendak. "How do _you_ feel? This situation has been just as exhausting for you as for me."

Sendak raised his eyebrows but smiled and leaned against Lotor’s chair, slinging his arm over the back of it and looking out at the stars.

“I’m tired, but you knew that.” He glanced at Lotor out of the corner of his eye. “I’m mostly... happy that I have you back... and I’m terrified of losing you again. It feels like I _just_ got you back.” He picked at his claws. “And I’m angry that the people who hurt us both decided they were allowed to disturb us _today_.”

He faced Lotor fully. “I’m glad we’re facing it together, though.”

Lotor smiled wryly. "I am frustrated by this turn of events as well, but I promise, you are not going to lose me again." He took Sendak's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I am not letting anyone get between us again."

Standing up from his chair, Lotor gestured to it. "We have a few more doboshes. Come sit down. We can adjust the seat to accommodate us both."

Sendak chuckled but did as he was told. He opened his arms for Lotor to join him and smirked at him. “There’s plenty to go around.”

The seat was far from the large sofa he had referred to the first time, lifetimes ago, and there was no alcohol this time either, but he was sure Lotor wouldn’t mind. Things had changed, after all.

Lotor smiled as he settled directly into Sendak's lap, leaning back against his chest. "Indeed there is. I designed this seat to be incredibly comfortable. Of course, nothing compares to _my_ seat." He looked back to smirk at Sendak before settling back in.

Even from his new position, Lotor could monitor the systems and operate the flight controls just fine. He checked the screens and made minor adjustments to keep them on course as they approached their destination.

Sendak smiled and held Lotor around the waist. He studied the controls, so much different than any he’d ever seen before. He could feel the energy of the ship humming all around them.

“Remarkable. How did you learn how to make this? It looks similar to what Altean tech was rumored to look like but... not. It’s incredible.”

He enjoyed listening to Lotor talk about his projects, even if he only ever understood half of it at best.

Lotor smiled proudly. "I did partly model it after Altean designs, though I of course incorporated cutting-edge Galra technology. It's a hybrid, the best of both." He put a certain weight on the word 'hybrid.'

"However," he continued, "the material is the most interesting part of it. This ship and its sister ship, which is in the hands of Voltron at the moment–" He sounded displeased for that admission. "–are made of the same material as Voltron." He paused for a moment to let that sink in.

"My design was for three ships, capable of combining into one robot of the same size and caliber as Voltron. Unfortunately, my father awoke before I could complete the process. Perhaps I could still finish the project, even if it will be less relevant now, provided that we manage to secure peace with Voltron."

Sendak’s eyes widened. Of course Lotor had managed to replicate the most powerful weapon in the universe, and by the looks of it he had improved on King Alfor’s work. “You are unreal,” he said and kissed the top of Lotor’s head.

“We’ll get your ship back. Just because we manage to secure peace with Voltron, _if_ we manage it, doesn’t mean we can allow them to remain uncontested in power. The ship comes with us or there will never be peace, not functionally.”

He slid his hand up Lotor’s side and down his arm, coming to rest on top of his hand which was loosely grasping the controls. “Although you would probably end up with the upper hand.” Leaning down slightly, he whispered in Lotor’s ear, “Hybrids tend to be so much stronger than their counterparts.”

Lotor shivered, looking back at Sendak with a smirk. "I would be inclined to agree, though I do know of one exception." From how he was eyeing Sendak, it was clear that Sendak was the exception.

Sighing lightly, Lotor tipped his head back against Sendak's shoulder. "I do look forward to having my other ship back. I poured my soul into these ships. There's a... a connection that is impossible to describe, like they are a part of me. I do not know whether my generals feel it, but I certainly do."

Sendak rubbed his cheek against Lotor’s affectionately, stroking his shoulder with his hand. “What is it like?” The concept was fascinating. A vessel with a consciousness. “Do they... speak to you?”

Lotor hesitated for a moment, then explained, "No... not yet. They are still incomplete. There is a flicker of _something_ there, but I think it will not properly awaken until I have all three ships and combine them together."

He looked a little distant, though he tightened his grip on his ship's controls. "I think Sincline itself may have just one consciousness at the end of this process, one mind split across three ships. I already do not feel any difference between the two operational ships. I feel their connections separately, yet in exactly the same way and to the same degree."

Sendak couldn’t imagine what it must feel like to have a part of yourself locked away in a place you couldn’t get to. He saw the way Lotor had greeted the ship with small touches to the controls like an old friend, the way he’d taken off so smoothly that he’d barely noticed it. The ship and him were one and the same, connected somehow. A fierce spark of determination shot through him. “We _will_ get it back. It’s yours. They have no right to keep it from you.” He smiled, hugging Lotor to his chest and resting his head on his shoulder again.

Lotor nuzzled lightly against Sendak and smiled at the reassurance. "Thank you."

“Speaking of your generals–” Sendak paused, planting a kiss on Lotor’s cheekbone. “–what do you think they’re doing right now? Spying on us?”

Humming as he considered the question, Lotor replied, "That seems likely enough. They are most certainly talking about us, I am sure."

Sendak laughed quietly. He was glad to lighten the mood slightly; Lotor had been way too tense since he’d asked him for help with this _situation_. He knew he didn’t really want to talk to the paladins again if he could help it and, frankly, Sendak shared the sentiment.

“What do you think they talk about?” He squeezed Lotor’s hip teasingly. “Do they even know about our marriage?”

Lotor chuckled. "They do now. I had to explain to Ezor why I was very invested in keeping you alive, so I ended up telling her about our prior connection and our current engagement. I assume she told the other two."

He looked over his shoulder to meet Sendak's eyes. "As for what they talk about..." A teasing smirk played across his features. "They probably speculate on our sex life."

Sendak snorted. “I bet they do.”

The idea of Lotor’s elite generals gossiping about what they did in the bedroom was hilarious. Sendak hated to admit it, but he liked the girls. They were an odd bunch but then again, he could say the same about the two of them. Their help now didn’t erase what they’d done to Lotor, but it was a start. Enough of a start that Sendak couldn’t bring himself to stay angry at them. They’d done what they thought was right, as they all had.

“They’re alright, your generals. I don’t trust them yet, but I trust that they will stand up for what they believe in and maybe that’s what we need right now.”

He realized he’d become lost in thought and quickly returned Lotor’s smirk. “And in case Ezor is standing behind us right now, for the record, it’s very active and pleasurable.” He said the last few words a little louder than he had to and his smirk widened.

Snickering, Lotor glanced behind Sendak and added, "And I'll bet you 100 GAC that my fiance's cock is bigger than Zethrid's best strap-on."

Still laughing a little, he turned to face forwards again. "They're good friends. They..." His voice became a little quieter, more thoughtful. "They have all been hurt in the past. I believe they saw their act of betrayal as one of self-preservation. But now that you and I can offer them true safety and security, I am confident that they will remain loyal to us from here on out."

Sendak’s face softened and he nodded. “We will make sure they are taken care of. They deserve it, and I know they mean a lot to you.”

He kissed Lotor’s jawline gently. Turning his attention to the cockpit’s window, he frowned at a small speck that was steadily growing in size. “Is that it?”

Lotor pulled up the ship's navigational system and nodded. "Yes."

Opening up the ship's internal comms, he announced, "We will be landing within 5 doboshes. Prepare yourselves. Hidden weapons only."

He closed the internal comms again and settled back in, tilting his head back to rest on Sendak's shoulder as he sighed. "I do _not_ want to do this right now. I do not want to deal with their blind optimism, their holier-than-thou attitude, their judgmental criticisms – should we even mention our relationship up front, or should we wait until after we have come to some sort of agreement with them? Either way seems prone to complications..." His voice trailed off into a frustrated groan.

"If they dismiss my endorsement of you as some infatuation-based delusion, or if I lose all credibility in their eyes because they associate my morals with yours and your morals with those promoted by the previous administration, we could lose any chance of negotiating with them. And yet I fear... they are most certainly going to ask about how and why we are now working together, and they can be perceptive when they want to be. If they see the signs of our relationship and also see that we are not being forthcoming about it, I fear they may draw the wrong conclusions."

Sendak took one of Lotor’s hands in his and interlaced their fingers. “They’ll find out sooner or later. It’s probably best that, if they reject us, they reject us for the truth.”

He held Lotor’s waist tighter with his other arm, pressing him close against his body as if he never had to let go again. “We don’t need to announce it to them, but it’s useless to lie about it. I never want to have to lie about the nature of our relationship again, I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime.”

"I agree wholeheartedly," Lotor responded without hesitation, lightly squeezing Sendak's hand in his. "I do not wish to hide. Perhaps if I explain our shared past, up to and including the colony experiment, they will understand."

The ship began to enter the atmosphere, and Lotor let go of Sendak's hand and leaned forward to operate the controls manually and bring it down for a landing. "First things first, we need to give them proof that the witch is no longer an issue. Then, I apparently need to persuade the Black Paladin that I am not... whatever he means by 'compromised.' Only after that can we truly begin negotiations."

A pang of guilt shot through him at Lotor’s words. “It’s my fault. He thinks that because of what I said at the Kral Zera. They might think I’m– torturing you, forcing you to speak with them and lie to them to avoid whatever they think I’d do to you. I-I’m sorry, Lotor, I never wanted–” Releasing a heavy sigh he shook his head. “We’ll tell them. We have proof of the death of the witch. As for the rest... we’ll have to hope our word is enough for them. Let’s hope we get that far.”

"No, no, please, do not blame yourself." He glanced briefly over his shoulder at Sendak. "For one thing, I forced your hand with my declaration of my intent to kill you. You were honor-bound to kill me or worse. But even if it were not for that... what would the empire have expected you to do to me? I committed regicide. I collaborated with the most powerful enemy of the Galra. Those are counts worthy of nothing less than torture and public execution. I was far safer as your 'slave' than as the political prisoner I would have been otherwise."

His grip tightened on the ship's controls. "Besides, we can use the excuse that Haggar told you to say that – which _is_ true, is it not? She wanted you to take me alive and hand me over to her. If you shift the blame for that whole little misunderstanding onto her, the Black Paladin will most likely believe you, and no one can prove otherwise."

Kissing the back of Lotor’s head, Sendak felt soft laughter bubble up. “Do you remember the night you first made your proposal? You laid it out for me in detail what we would do and how we could make it work. You had this plan already fully formed in your head. And then I told you that it seemed complicated.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “And you know what you said? _Welcome to my life._ Until recently I don’t think I appreciated just how right you were, my love.” Dropping his voice into a low whisper, he added, “And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Mirroring Sendak's laughter, Lotor chuckled quietly. "Ah, yes, I remember that evening well. It's one of my fondest memories. Even after everything, I couldn't bring myself to regret that night. It was so lovely."

He leveled out the ship as it approached the ground. Up ahead, the five Lions were visible, all landed in formation and waiting for Sendak and Lotor to arrive.

Lotor continued in a soft voice, thoughtful and contemplative, "I know my plans can be complex, but I am simply trying to do what is best for us. I have made many mistakes, and yet, somehow, you continue to stand by me. I appreciate that more than words can express."

“I will always stand by you. I swear it.” He was aware Lotor knew that already but sometimes he needed to hear it nonetheless.

Once Lotor had landed the ship, setting it down softly facing the separate lions, Sendak lifted him with an arm on his back and one beneath his legs and stood. He got out of the seat and stepped behind it, setting Lotor down and holding out his hand for him to take. “Shall we?”

Despite what was to come, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face upon seeing Lotor before him, looking every bit like the royal he was, the ruler he would soon be.

Lotor smiled fondly as he accepted Sendak's hand. "Lead the way, Emperor."


	10. Sincline

Sendak and Lotor walked through the ship to exit it, and the generals filed in behind them. Lotor turned back to give them orders. "Acxa, follow close behind us. Zethrid and Ezor, stay back a little and wait by the ship. On my command, bring out the black bag and drop it at the paladins' feet."

All three gave acknowledgements, and they did as Lotor asked. While Sendak and Lotor exited the ship and walked toward the Lions, Acxa followed a few paces behind.

Up ahead, the paladins appeared to be gathered together in discussion, though they quickly reorganized themselves into formation when they saw Sendak and Lotor approaching.

They came to a halt a few steps before them.

“Paladins of Voltron,” Sendak said in acknowledgement, inclining his head.

The Black Paladin answered him. “Emperor Sendak.” The man met his gaze unflinchingly and then turned his attention to Lotor, inclining his head curtly.

Lotor gave Shiro an answering nod of acknowledgment before turning his attention to Sendak.

Sendak looked at Lotor as well, in silent question. Lotor’s expression was grim but resolved as he nodded yet again, this time to Sendak's unasked question.

Together. They would do this together as equals.

“You requested proof,” Sendak spoke, looking back at the paladins who remained impassive. It wasn’t a question, and they all knew it.

Allura responded to Sendak, "Indeed we did. I must admit that I find your claims unlikely."

Lotor gave her a thin smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. We can provide you with proof that I believe you will find to be more than adequate." He looked over his shoulder back toward the ship and nodded to Zethrid and Ezor, and the two girls reentered the ship.

When they returned a moment later, they carried a large black bag between them. It sagged in the middle with weight, but the two generals carried it easily. They walked past Sendak and Lotor and dropped the bag right at Allura's feet.

"There." Lotor's voice was filled with finality. "All the proof you need."

Shiro’s eyes narrowed. His voice was gruff as he addressed Lotor. “What is that?”

Sendak replied instead. “Exactly what it looks like.”

Bending down, Shiro examined the contents of the bag. Seemingly satisfied, or at least convinced what he’d found was real, he straightened. He looked slightly paler than before but no less determined. His eyes were wholly fixed on Sendak as he asked the question that had likely been plaguing all of them. “ _Why?_ ”

Allura also examined the bag's contents, though her face immediately turned pale afterwards. "Oh... oh my..." She backed away from it, looking visibly disturbed.

The younger three paladins shared uneasy glances.

Lotor interjected before Sendak could answer. "We are not blind to the horrifying things she has done. We know that she deserved to die. Additionally, she has personally hurt us both in different ways. We wanted her dead every bit as much as you did."

Sendak added, “She was the driving force behind the death of thousands of planets, sucked dry for their quintessence. We could not let her continue. Will this proof be sufficient for you?” He couldn’t keep the slight snarl from his words.

The Black Paladin’s attention was still focused on Sendak. “It’s proof she’s dead, nothing more. We still don’t trust your intentions.”

Sendak narrowed his eyes. “I cannot prove my intentions to you in any tangible way. You trusted my– Lotor once to rule the empire. You trust his intentions enough for that, so know that mine are the same.”

Scalding anger flashed across Shiro’s face as he looked at Lotor and quickly back to Sendak. “That’s a little hard to believe, considering you took him as your property from what we can tell.”

Lotor quickly took Sendak's hand, squeezing firmly as he looked at Shiro. "I assure you, Black Paladin, that I am a slave in name only, and, soon enough, I will be officially free. We were planning to reach out to you _after_ we made our announcement to the empire of the witch's death and our plans to co-rule, but your attack forced our hand."

Allura's eyes narrowed. "Why the charade, then? Shiro has been highly concerned, insisting that we needed to come rescue you. I see that I was right to suspect a trick, but I still wish to know why. What benefit do you gain from this?"

Tightening his grip on Sendak's hand a little, Lotor answered in a measured tone, "The animosity I displayed toward Sendak at the Kral Zera was very real, but it was based on a lie. I began hating Sendak a very long time ago due to a cruel trick that my father played on us both; however, Sendak and I have now come to an understanding and have mended the broken trust between us. I once trusted him with my life, and I trust him again now. As for his threats toward me..." He looked up at Sendak, signaling that the emperor should explain next.

Sendak pulled his eyes away from Lotor with great effort. “I– never wanted to make any such claims, and I regret them, even if they were false and necessary at the time.”

Lotor’s terrified face flashed before him. The way he dragged himself away from him after the explosion despite his injuries. They had cleared everything up and now they were happy, or at least on the way there, but Sendak didn’t think he could ever truly forgive himself for being the reason Lotor looked like that.

“The witch wanted him alive, to work her twisted magic on him, no doubt. I had to save him from her. She wanted me to claim him because it was the only way to keep him alive after the Kral Zera. She just didn’t expect me to go through with it, keeping him from her. I regret the things I had to do, but I would do it again if it meant keeping the person I love safe.”

The venom seemed to drain from the Black Paladin’s expression, leaving behind awed disbelief. “I was– _we_ _were_ worried.”

Sendak doubted anyone but the Black Paladin had spared a stray thought to Lotor’s well-being, but that instantly made the man much more agreeable to him. “We apologize but we could not risk the witch finding out.”

Lotor gave Sendak a quick smile before turning his attention back to the paladins. "As you see, I am quite alright – more than alright, I am finally safe and reunited with the man I have cared for deeply for a very long time. I know you have had your differences with Sendak in the past, but I trust him completely, and I ask that you will extend to him and to me both an opportunity for peace."

Allura pursed her lips, looking unconvinced. "I was reasonably willing to try to work with you to take down your father, but I, for one, never intended to entrust the Galra throne to you, not unless you did something to prove yourself to us first." Her tone of voice was harsh, accusatory. "You still have done nothing to convince me that either of you are going to bring peace to the universe and end Galra oppression."

"Sendak and I have worked together in the past to try to change the Galra ways of colonizing and gathering Quintessence," Lotor explained calmly, displaying remarkable patience in the face of the princess' harsh attitude, "but our efforts resulted in disaster when my father found out and utterly destroyed our test colony. Now that neither my father nor the witch can stop us, however, we can resume our work in finding ethical solutions to the Quintessence problem. Not a single planet will die from Quintessence mining under our rule, I assure you."

"Uh..." The paladin in blue armor cleared his throat. "And, uh, what about the current colonies? Are you going to, like... let them go?"

Sendak resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Did these people know nothing of imperial politics and infrastructure? Were they blind to the reality of a race that had spread its civilization across the universe after the destruction of their home planet? “It’s not that simple. We cannot just abandon the planets that have relied on our resources for millennia. Most of the colonies are just planets where civilian Galra have been living since before the destruction of Daibazaal, some even since we became a starfaring race. They are indistinguishable from what our home planet used to be and have been so long before the time of Zarkon. We will not destroy their way of life.”

He looked directly at the Blue Paladin. “As for the mining colonies, they will be allowed to become individual states, but most of them rely on our supply routes to survive. This is a process. If we release every vulnerable colony we have, there is nothing stopping rogue warlords from claiming them. The empire would shatter, and you would have a civil war on your hands, the likes of which none of us have ever seen before. It would be like creating a power vacuum intentionally. Trillions would die, and your coalition planets would be the first to burn. _Do you understand that?_ ”

The paladin paled considerably, glancing to the other paladins before weakly nodding his head. Next to him, the other two younger paladins looked similarly unnerved.

Allura, however, did not look impressed. "You must give all colonies a choice to leave. If they wish to stay and benefit from your supplies, fine, but that needs to be at the peoples' discretion."

"Of course we will offer freedom," Lotor quickly conceded, "but we simply wish to ensure their long-term wellbeing. Many of them have had their natural governments erased. Even barring the issue of external supplies, the internal infrastructure of many has been completely reshaped to Galra standards. If a colony wishes to go free, we will guide them through a gentle transition, giving them time to restore their natural government and culture and to establish their own means of supply and defense before disconnecting them from the imperial system. Does that sound agreeable?"

The princess seemed uncertain, and she looked to the Black Paladin questioningly.

They shared eye contact for a brief moment and he nodded almost imperceptibly. “Alright. If you’re telling the truth...” He looked at the rest of the paladins in turn and squared his shoulders. “Then it’s time to end the war. For Good. You’ve heard our terms. What are yours?”

“To begin, you should stop sabotaging our supply routes,” Sendak answered. “It hurts the people you claim to protect far more than you might think. And of course we would encourage you to stop attacking our bases, specifically in unprovoked assault.” He held himself back before he could continue. Lotor was far better suited to dealing with diplomatic matters. Sendak didn’t know how he did it.

Lotor straightened a little, and he smiled diplomatically. "As a show of good faith, we ask that you would make a universal announcement with us declaring this new truce. We can draft up a more proper treaty then, and I would encourage you to bring representatives from Olkarion and other major Coalition powers, just as we will allow some of the top Galra commanders to also weigh in on the official talks.

"We will need to draw some boundaries for what space is considered Galra territory and what is considered open space, and once those boundaries have been drawn to everyone's satisfaction, we can lay down rules for what types of ships can cross those boundaries and when.

"And, on the topic of ships..." His smile faded, and he seemed to hesitate for a moment. "You currently hold one of my ships, one made from the trans-reality comet. I ask that you return it to me. Do these terms sound satisfactory?"

Shiro seemed to mull it over for a few seconds before conceding. “It would be foolish to discard an opportunity for peace and I’m sure the Coalition will be satisfied to be included in the true negotiations.”

He seemed about to look back at the princess but decided against it before looking at Lotor with the most open sincerity he had displayed so far. “The ship is yours. Take it as a gesture of good faith on our part. We have no use for it beyond keeping it from you, and if we are to be allies we should at least act like it.” He smiled slightly, amusedly, as he and Lotor shared a look. Sendak would ask about it later. He was beginning to like the Black Paladin, albeit begrudgingly.

The princess looked somewhat uneasy at the idea of handing over the ship, but she said nothing about it.

"Thank you, Black Paladin." Lotor started to offer his arm to Shiro in a gesture to seal their truce, then hesitated, glancing at Sendak. But then he went ahead and offered his arm to Shiro again, apparently deciding that his own authority would be sufficient for this.

Shiro took Lotor’s arm, sealing their agreement. He smiled respectfully at Lotor.

Allura's eyes narrowed, but then she stepped up to Sendak and looked at him expectantly as she offered him her own arm, perhaps in a bid to undercut the Black Paladin's authority? "I look forward to future talks and a formal truce," she said, though she did not sound very sincere.

Sendak eyed the princess’ arm but kept his firmly at his side. “As do I, though I was under the impression that we had already agreed. Lotor’s power is equal to mine. You interrupted our schedule with your intervention, but soon he shall have the title to prove it. The outcome is identical whether I agree to a treaty or he does. I was under the impression that the same is true for the Paladins of Voltron?” He looked down at her with an unimpressed glare. “I see no reason to seal a deal twice.”

Allura's eyes flared, incensed, but she kept her expression mostly neutral as she backed off. "Very well, then. If we have nothing more to say to each other, then this meeting is adjourned."

Lotor nodded to Shiro before letting go and turning to Sendak. His eyes sparkled with amusement, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He cleared his throat a few times before getting his expression firmly under control and facing the paladins again. "I suppose that would be all for now. I appreciate your time and cooperation."

Looking over toward the generals, Lotor gestured to the sinister black bag and ordered, "Take that back to the ship."

"Wait." The princess stepped toward it, as if intending to get between it and the generals. "No matter how vile, she _was_ an Altean. I will give her a proper burial according to Altean customs."

Conflicted expressions flashed across Lotor's face, but he gestured vaguely toward the body bag. "By all means, go ahead. It means nothing to me. I was planning to merely incinerate it and dispose of the ashes."

Allura looked vaguely disturbed. "No, no, that... I will make sure she is buried properly."

Sendak frowned at her for a few moments but quickly shook his head. The princess could do whatever she wanted with the corpse, even if her respectful actions were horribly misplaced. Instead he returned his attention to the Black Paladin. “When can we expect the ship back?”

Shiro looked between him and Lotor, as if seeing something he hadn’t before and the animosity that was in his eyes every time he looked at Sendak faded slightly. He still addressed Lotor but that was all the same to Sendak. “It’s still on the Castle, out of range, but you can have your generals pick it up. Or we can bring it to the peace negotiations.”

Lotor pursed his lips as he considered. "I would really prefer to get it back sooner rather than later, if that would not be any trouble." He glanced over to the girls.

Acxa gave him a nod of acknowledgement and stepped forward, turning to speak to Shiro. "I could accompany you back to the Castle and take the ship from there," she offered.

The Black Paladin seemed to notice her for the first time and looked her over before tilting his head in assent. “You fly with me.”

Sendak looked at each of the paladins in turn. “I believe we are done here. We will see each other when the negotiations start.” He turned away from them and held his hand out for Lotor to take.

Lotor gave Sendak a quick smile as he accepted his hand, and the two walked back to the ship together. Ezor and Zethrid followed a few paces behind, murmuring in low tones.

Once they were back in the cockpit, Lotor gestured for Sendak to take a seat again. "Well, I would say that was remarkably successful."

He sat and pulled Lotor into his lap. “I do not know how you put up with it, my love. Are they always like that?” He shifted Lotor before he could answer and kissed him tentatively.

Lotor reciprocated the kiss, pressing deeper into it before pulling back and turning his attention to the fight controls. "The princess was less hostile to me before, more open to considering the idea of working together. The Black Paladin, of course, was the most reasonable to work with. He lent me the bayard for my fight against my father, and he flew me to the Kral Zera."

He eased the ship off the ground, up through the planet's atmosphere.

Sendak scoffed. “Maybe you should tell her you’re half Altean, that seemed to sway her.”

He traced idle circles on Lotor’s hip with his thumb. “The Black Paladin does not like me. I knew him before, when he was the champion. I trained him, by Haggar’s orders. He– reminded me of you, I think, and I wanted him to survive. Maybe a part of me was trying to atone for not being strong enough, for swearing loyalty to Zarkon again after everything.”

He shook his head, trying to clear it. “He always hated me, you know, but today he looked at me with far less fire after you spoke with him. He must trust you quite a bit.”

Lotor frowned, looking both thoughtful and troubled. "As for Allura, I do not want to fight her discriminatory attitude by feeding into it. If she will not respect to me without knowing my full lineage, then she will not truly respect me at all. I will consider telling her if there is no other way to win her trust, but I would prefer not to." He looked disgusted at the idea.

"In regards to Shiro..." He sighed, expression softening into something uncertain. "I suppose he does trust me, though I do not know why. In any case, I am relieved that he is being diplomatic and honorable about all this, despite your history with him. Perhaps I can make him see the depth of the situation and to understand how limited your choices were."

Sendak hummed thoughtfully. “I think he knows, or at least he does now. He’s reasonable. And besides, I believe he trusts your judgement.”

Returning his head to its spot on Lotor’s shoulder, he went on. “I can speak with him, I don’t want you to worry about it. On a more pressing note: are we going to have to invite them to our wedding? Because I could never see most of them again and it would be too soon. Maybe we should just invite Shiro as the sole representative.” He looked for Lotor’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Lotor pursed his lips. "I would also enjoy only having Shiro present, but it would be more diplomatically appropriate to invite them all. They can keep each other company throughout the reception if they decide to stay for that." He looked unhappy even with his own suggestion. "Unless, perhaps, we could invite them only to the ceremony and not to the reception..."

He sighed heavily. "Maybe we should wait and see how the official talks go. If they continue to display the same animosity toward us, we can refrain from extending them any invitation."

He pressed Lotor’s back into his chest, grumbling without any fire behind it. “Sometimes I hate it when you’re right. You’re always the bigger person with these matters. And make no mistake, that is a good thing, I doubt the peace would last a day if you weren’t so gifted in diplomacy, but sometimes I can’t stand it. The way you smile at people as they hurl thinly veiled insults at your face... I hate it. I wish I could do something about it, but I know I can’t. It was bad enough when other Galra disrespected you to your face, but this is somehow worse.”

Lotor chuckled wryly, leaning back heavily against Sendak. "I do my best, and I have had a lot of practice. At least with the paladins, they are discriminating against me for being _too_ Galra in their eyes rather than not Galra enough. It is... novel, in that regard."

He turned his head to look at Sendak, and he placed a kiss on his cheek. "I appreciate your concern and protectiveness, but I will be fine. These insults do not bother me, especially not when I know I have acceptance and support."

He cupped the back of Lotor’s head in his hand and ran his fingers through his hair. 

“I know you have thick skin, darling, I just wish you didn’t have to. But enough about them. Let’s go home. I know you’ve been itching to take a detour through an asteroid belt in this thing. Go on, do it.” He knew he’d regret it almost as soon as he said it. He’d live with that, though.

Lotor raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure? While Zethrid and Ezor are sitting in the hold?" He smirked. "Alright then."

Reaching for the internal comms, he told the generals, "Hold onto something. We're doing a test run."

He grabbed the controls and guided the ship, gradually gaining speed as he guided it straight toward a nearby asteroid field.

Sendak hadn’t lied. He _was_ curious about seeing the ship in action. The fact that he’d much rather watch the flying metal death trap from an observation deck was irrelevant in the face of Lotor’s smile, the way his eyes lit up. Sendak knew he’d been going crazy, cooped up in the imperial suite all day. He needed this. And although Sendak preferred to keep out of cramped fighter-class ships, he trusted Lotor with his life. 

Of course, as soon as they’d entered the asteroid field and Lotor began waving through the stones like a madman, he desperately wished he’d made a different call. Clutching at Lotor’s upper thighs, he could only watch as the hulking rocks sped by, crashing together where they’d just been moments ago.

Lotor outright laughed in pure delight as he sped right through danger. His eyes were wide and wild. He put the ship though insane twists and turns, ones that no ordinary fighter could ever possibly match.

When they came out on the other side of the field, he was panting, and he looked absolutely exhilarated. "I haven't indulged in that sort of fun for quite a while now," he laughed. "Thank you."

Sendak needed a moment to unclench his jaw return his stiff joints his to working capacity. He could safely say that he was completely and utterly terrified of the delicate-looking creature in his lap. How could Lotor _laugh_ from this? It was beyond him. He shook his head and looked at his fiancé, who was still laughing with pure joy. Breathing heavily but smiling, he pressed a kiss to Lotor‘s cheek.

“If it means seeing you smile like that I might actually consider flying with you more often. However, I would like to head home now, it’s been a long day.” He tightened his grip on Lotor’s thigh teasingly. “What do you think?”

Smirking over his shoulder, Lotor's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You would encourage me to do this again? What an irresponsible emperor you are, allowing your _slave_ to pull stunts like this," he teased, cracking himself up a little.

The smile and laughter, however, slowly faded from him, leaving him looking satisfied but tired. He directed the ship toward Central Command at a more reasonable pace and set the autopilot before leaning heavily on Sendak and tipping his head back. "It _has_ been a long day. I fear I might pass out the moment I reach our bed."

Sendak stroked the back of his fingers over Lotor’s cheekbone. “I encourage you to. You don’t get enough sleep as-is, and now you’ve had to stay awake. What kind of emperor overworks his favorite slave?” There was a playful smile on his face and mischief in his eye. “It _is_ terribly irresponsible of me. Perhaps I should carry you to bed myself to ensure you rest this time.”

Pressing kisses to the side of Lotor’s neck he allowed his hands to wander across his sides, his thighs, his chest. “So are you going to be good or am I going to have to use force to make sure you go to bed?” He couldn’t keep the smirk off his face if he wanted to.

Mirroring Sendak's smirk, Lotor used a tone of false innocence as he replied, "I don't know, my emperor. I can be so restless that I fear you may have to stay with me to keep me in bed..."

He pressed a kiss to Sendak's cheek and then buried his face into his neck, nuzzling into the soft fur. "You seem to be very fond of carrying me and holding me. Is it because I am so much smaller than you?"

Sendak squeezed the curve of Lotor’s ass lightly and slid his hands up to the dip of his waist, encircling all of it. “Well you _are_ incredibly small.” He emphasized his words by tapping his fingers on Lotor’s skin. “And you weigh practically nothing. I could lift you up with one hand and throw you over my shoulder effortlessly.”

He angled his head to allow Lotor better access, whispering into his ear. “I know you love it too.”

Lotor chuckled. "I _do_ love it. Having your hands all over me, manhandling me as you show off your strength..." He reached back and squeezed Sendak's bicep. " _Very_ nice."

His voice softened as he continued more seriously, "In all honesty, I never truly feel safe except in your arms. I know that you can and will protect me from any threats.”

Sendak furrowed his brows. He wished Lotor didn’t need him to feel safe but… “I’m honored. I know how hard it is for you to feel safe.”

Tucking Lotor’s head under his chin, he tightened his grip on his waist and spoke in a low teasing tone. “I mean it, though, your sleep schedule is even worse than when we were married, and I seek to rectify that.”

The navigational system indicated they were close to Central Command.

"I may have picked up a few bad habits," Lotor admitted as he leaned forward to pilot the ship manually again.

He guided it into the hangar, where Acxa was already waiting with the other ship, and Lotor's eyes lit up upon seeing it. "There it is," he murmured, leaning forward to look more closely.

It was a beautiful. Sleek and elegant. A worthy companion to the vessel they were aboard. 

“Up until now I thought they might go back on our deal and keep your general hostage to threaten us. She would have escaped, naturally,” he nuzzled Lotor’s hair, “I know who trained her, after all.” He released a deep breath as Lotor brought the ship to a halt and set it down gently. “I’m glad she was successful.”

Without warning, he stood and slung Lotor over his shoulder, holding his legs in a tight grip. “I know you too well. If I let go of you now you will climb into the engine of that thing and I won’t see you for three days, and while I am happy that you got your ship back, I will not let you do that to yourself. You’re coming to bed, that’s an order.”

Grinning, he began walking toward the cockpit door, allowing Lotor enough time to refuse if he wanted to.

Lotor laughed and squirmed, struggling playfully. "Sendak! Not like this! Not in front of my generals!" His protests, however, were very playful, and his attempts to get down were far from sincere.

Laughter subsiding a little, Lotor pleaded, "Please, just let me touch it for a moment. I've missed it so dearly... _Then_ you can drag me off to bed."

Sendak smacked Lotor’s ass playfully. “Alright. You can run your hands along it when we walk by.”

The door opened with a hiss and he stepped through, nodding at Ezor, Zethrid, and Acxa, who were chatting by the ship’s access ramp. “Ladies.”

The girls' eyes all locked onto Sendak and Lotor. Acxa looked vaguely exasperated, but Ezor started snickering, and Zethrid looked equally amused. Lotor groaned with embarrassment, hiding his face in his hands. 

Even as they walked past the other ship, Lotor didn't seem to notice, stubbornly covering his face. "Put me down," he whined. "Seriously, don't carry me through the hallways like this, you bastard."

“I made sure before we departed that they’d clear the halls when we got back. Besides, I think your generals could stand to see you have a little fun sometimes.” Sendak stopped before the last part of the ship was out of reach to Lotor. “Last chance to touch it, my love.” He added in a low and loving voice, “And I can let you down if you really want me to...”

Lotor reached out, but he could only reasonably press one hand to it while his other hand was braced against Sendak's back. "Just... just for a moment."

The generals were already heading out a separate door, so it was just the two of them as Lotor pushed himself up and dropped down from Sendak's shoulder. He landed heavily, but he still did not hesitate to walk around Sendak to his ship. He placed both palms on it and bowed his head until his forehead touched the metal.

His hands softly glowed with a mixture of magenta and blue light intertwining and somewhat blending together into a light indigo-purple color. Lotor hardly even seemed aware of the Quintessence, keeping his eyes closed. After a moment, he reached out and grabbed Sendak's natural hand, and a warm but pleasant feeling of energy emanated from the point of contact. Lotor was... he was somehow including Sendak in the connection.

Sendak felt it. A vast presence emanating from both the ships, surrounding him but not stifling him. It was ancient, a being of light and metal that had traversed countless realities and seen so much only to end up here. There were... emotions and ideas but they were unlike any thoughts he’d ever had, vast and infinite. There was joy at being reunited at last and curiosity about him. The consciousness seemed to brush up against him, getting a feeling for him.

And in a the midst of it all he could feel Lotor, acting as a conduit, feeling peaceful and happy.

When Lotor let go of the ship with a gentle stroke along the metal the connection was still there. He could still access it if he focused on it.

“Thank you.” Sendak was speechless. “I– you didn’t have to do that. I’m not even a very good pilot.”

Lotor smiled up at him, and his blue eyes softly glowed with slowly-fading magic. "This connection is a part of me, and I want to share all of myself with you."

A look of melancholy crept over his face and stole away the last of the magic light in his eyes. "Besides, while the ships can operate with one pilot each, they... the system will operate at its best with five pilots. That is the way I designed it, with the assumption that–" He cut himself off, shaking his head.

"As you can tell, the connection is very... intimate. I would rather have someone I trust share that rather than someone who happens to be a good pilot. Ideally, you, the three girls, and I will all be able to pilot the three ships and the combined mecha together. I can tell they're already warming up to you quickly. I think the five of us could be a wonderful team." He smiled again, though more muted this time. "Of course, I plan mainly to use it for gathering Quintessence, but it may also prove useful if we end up having to put down rebellions from rogue warlords vying for power."

 _Or as a shield against Voltron,_ he didn’t need to add. Sendak smiled sheepishly and pulled Lotor into a kiss.

“Thank you. For your trust. I know how hard it is for you and I am honored to be one of the few who get to see you like this.”

Lotor melted into the kiss, grabbing Sendak's shoulders and holding on. Even after pulling away, his eyes stayed half-closed, and his smile was small and tired. "You say that like you didn't earn it the hard way. _I_ am honored to have your care and affection and protection, my love. I never would have..." He blinked tiredly a few times, as if trying to keep his thought. "I never would have come to trust you if you had not first shown me such kindness and respect. I trust you because _you_ have proven yourself to be trustworthy." His eyes were filled with exhaustion and with mixed emotions as he looked up into Sendak's golden eye. "I doubted you once, but never again."

He leaned heavily into Sendak, still not letting go of his shoulders, and he blinked a few times like it was difficult for him to keep his eyes open. "We should..." He cut himself off with a yawn. "...go to bed."

He scooped Lotor up into his arms and cradled him to his chest. “We should. That took more out of you than you’re letting on, didn’t it?” He’s steadied Lotor’s head with his hand. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Lotor nuzzled up against his chest, relaxing into his hold this time.

Sendak walked through the corridors to their rooms. Depositing Lotor on the bed, he began removing his armor. “Are you alright? Do you need something other than sleep if you... use your _magic_ like that?” He didn’t know what else to call it.

Lotor chuckled lightly. "The process is called alchemy, and I was simply using my body's natural Quintessence." He yawned heavily. "But no, I should be fine. A combination of food and sleep will restore my body to normal, and I am not feeling hungry, so sleep is the more important one at the moment."

Sendak leaned over him, removing his chest plate, unable to resist planting a kiss on Lotor’s forehead. “For a man who can design complex machinery with his eyes closed and convince the Paladins of Voltron to cease their attacks on the empire with only his words you are very reckless and foolish.” He said it with a teasing lilt, although Lotor already knew he wasn’t serious. He kept talking as he continued to remove the armor. “You were already running on no sleep at all and then you decided to use your pretty lights. No wonder you’re not complaining about whatever work you have to do.”

"They're more than just pretty lights," Lotor grumbled. "I show you the ancient science of alchemy, and you call it 'magic' and 'pretty lights.'" He sounded annoyed, but his expression betrayed his amusement.

Sendak removed the last piece of armor and placed it on a neat rack before efficiently stripping out of his own clothing. Once he was done he slipped into the bed, wrapping himself around Lotor and holding him. “Sleep well, my love.”

Lotor snuggled into Sendak's embrace. "Goodnight, darling."


	11. Golden Bands

Sendak took a deep breath and clenched his fists for what he was sure was the seventh time in the past five minutes. 

“Relax. I’m saying this as your friend: you’re making me anxious. Stop, it’ll be fine.”

Haxus was next to him in his smooth and ornate armor. He was glad for his words. Although he knew his nerves were ridiculous, it still helped to have a voice of reason among the chaos. 

The officiator finally beckoned him to come closer and he nearly tripped over his cape in his nervous eagerness.

His long cape flowed behind him as he took each step closer to the dais, the way it always should have been. The golden accents of his ornate armor caught the light as he craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of his fiancé on the other side of the room, coming ever closer.

They were going to do it right this time, they way they wanted it to be. This time, it was going to be the most joyous day of his life, because he was marrying the man he loved.

As they both finally reached the dais, Sendak caught sight of Lotor. He was wearing a beautiful and ornate set of armor clearly based off of his usual armor, redesigned in rich blue and silver. On his chest, the usual dark blue star was made of large jewels set in a broach that pinned together his long, translucent, shimmering blue cape that trailed behind him. The half-skirt that he always wore was now long, almost down to the floor, and it was embroidered with silver threads. His hair was done up in a single braid decorated with one silver crown-like hairpiece that complimented his hair's natural radiance well and matched his small but shining teardrop earrings. As was suitable for a prince, he looked beautiful and lovely while also appearing very powerful and regal.

The most lovely sight, however, was his face. Soft hints of makeup made him look more breathtaking than ever, but better yet, his smile lit up his face in a way that was so rare and lovely to see. He looked absolutely radiant, eyes bright and full of joy. For once, there were no traces of stress or worry or exhaustion anywhere on his face, only carefree happiness. He walked with confidence and eagerness toward the dais in the center, and his smile grew just a little brighter with every step.

Sendak nearly stopped dead in his tracks. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen and he couldn’t keep the sheer awe from his face.

Lotor was flanked by his generals, the women all in matching, albeit much more simple, armor, but Sendak hardly noticed them as all his attention was on his future husband.

They climbed the dais side by side and came to a halt at the top, facing each other. Lotor was even more radiant up close and it was all Sendak could do to keep from ruining the ceremony and kissing him right then. 

“You look beautiful,” he whispered nonetheless, holding out his hands with one palm up and the other facing downward. It was a symbol of their equality, that they would each support the other in times of need.

As he accepted Sendak's hands, Lotor's smile turned fond, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "And you are very handsome," he whispered back.

Sendak couldn’t stop smiling. He squeezed Lotor’s hands, imagining the way he would pull him close later, the way he would trail soft kisses along his jaw and run his fingers through his hair.

The officiator cleared his throat to get their attention before addressing the gathered audience and beginning a rather standard speech about honor and a new era. He droned on for several doboshes, elaborating on how this new era of peace would be marked by this union and so on. Lotor looked at Sendak the whole time, smiling a little mischievously and minutely moving his lips along with some of the officiator's more dramatic phrases while his shoulders shook with restrained laughter.

Sendak’s smile widened at Lotor’s subtle mischief, and he mouthed some of the lines of his own. Lotor’s playfulness was beautiful to see and so far removed from the first time they did this. 

He couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with him.

When the officiator indicated it was time to recite their vows, he inclined his head to Lotor. He would be the first to recite his vows, contrary to the way it had been forced upon them last time.

Lotor nodded to him and took a deep breath before beginning his vows. "Sendak," he began, voice clear and calm as he looked into his eyes. "We have come a very long way together." His smile faded a little into something thoughtful and serious. "Though it took time for me to learn to trust you, though I doubted you for a long time, you never gave up on me, and for that, I am forever grateful. You acted with honor and restraint toward me even when I was vulnerable, you acted with mercy and patience toward me even when I was hateful, and you continue to treat me with respect and trust even when others have mocked me and betrayed me."

He closed his eyes and took another deep breath, lightly squeezing Sendak's hands. "I once thought I could never trust another person enough to truly love them. Even more so, I thought that no one would ever trust me and love me unconditionally. I have never been so glad in all my life to be proven wrong. You have given me everything, and I want to give you all that I have and all that I am, not out of a sense of obligation or because I feel that I owe you, but simply because I trust you unequivocally and unconditionally and because I want to remain by your side until the end of time."

His expression turned completely serious, and his gaze was intense and sincere as he recited the lines he had written for his formal vows:

" _I swear to you my heart, given freely and without hesitation._  
_I swear to you my trust, so that I may never doubt you._  
_I swear to you my strength, so that I may always protect you._  
_I swear to you my intellect, so that I may forever assist you._  
_I swear to you my honor, so that my every victory may be yours._  
_I swear to you my loyalty, my emperor and my husband."_

He smiled again, squeezing Sendak's hands and nodding to him to indicate that it was now his turn to speak.

Sendak was overwhelmed by the love he felt in that moment, rendering him speechless as he tightened his grip as well. He cleared his throat and began speaking with his eyes focused solely on the man before him. 

“Lotor.” He took an equally long breath in an attempt to steady himself. “I never thought I’d stand in this position again, not in a thousand lifetimes and especially not with you. I thought I’d never see you again after your father exiled you. I knew you were alive but I thought I’d lost you forever regardless.

“I never thought I could love anyone the way I love you. I never thought I could trust anyone the way I trust you, but–” He smiled wistfully at their joined hands. “You’ve always had a habit of proving me wrong. You’ve held my heart in your hands for centuries, even if you didn’t know it. All that I am, all that I have been and will be, is yours. You have seen all of me and didn’t run from it, and I could not be more thankful. I never thought I’d be allowed to have this, and words cannot express my joy at getting to share this with you. It’s you, Lotor, it has always been you, and I want to remain by your side for the rest of our lives and after. Until the end of time.”

He met Lotor’s eyes with determination and love in his gaze to recite his own formal vows. 

“ _I swear to you my heart, so that you may hold it as you always have._  
_I swear to you my trust, so that you may always be the one I turn to._  
_I swear to you my strength, so that I may defend you._  
_I swear to you my intellect, so that I may aid you to the best of my ability._  
_I swear to you my honor, so that I may defend yours with my life._ ”

He paused, scanning Lotor’s face. There was only one thing left to swear to him, according to tradition, but they had never been very good at keeping traditions. He shot a look at the gathered guests, and when he looked back at Lotor, he made his decision.

“ _I swear to you my throne, may we rule side by side until we are nothing but ashes scattered to the stars._  
_I swear to you my loyalty, my_ emperor _and my husband_.”

Lotor's eyes, already shining with emotion, widened and filled with tears as he looked at Sendak with shock and wonder, lips parting and moving soundlessly as he tried and failed to form words. He blinked back the tears, shaking his head, before giving Sendak a bright and brilliant smile full of awe and joy, and he squeezed both of Sendak's hands. _Thank you_ , he mouthed soundlessly.

Lotor’s smile was beautiful and Sendak didn’t waste a single thought on the slight hush that seemed to fall over the room. If anyone had an issue with his decisions, they could bring their grievances directly to him, but he wouldn’t trade that joyful smile for anything.

The officiator was silent for a moment, apparently also taken aback by this breach of tradition, but he then cleared his throat and called for the bands signifying the union. Two matching golden bracelets were brought forward, both simple yet elegant bands.

Letting go of Sendak's right hand, Lotor picked up the larger band and slid it over his hand and onto his wrist. He smiled as he recited the traditional line with confidence, assurance, and a small adjustment that he and Sendak had agreed to ahead of time: "From this moment on, you are mine, _just as I am yours_ , until my body is consumed by the Final Flame."

Sendak picked up the smaller band and slid it carefully onto Lotor’s left wrist. He ran his thumb along the side of his hand and smiled as he recited the words. “From this moment on, you are mine, _just as I am yours_ , until my body is consumed by the Final Flame.”

He ran his fingers along the metal of the beautiful band and then took Lotor’s hand. The delicate chain swayed gently as the officiator attached it to both of their bands, but Sendak’s focus did not wander from Lotor. 

The officiator said his final lines and Sendak beamed as he leaned down to kiss his husband, their hands still joined and the chain connecting them for everyone to see.

The kiss was gentle and sweet but also lingering, lasting for a long, beautiful moment until they finally pulled back, smiling at each other as they turned to face their guests. They walked down the aisle hand-in-hand, exiting the room together.

Once they were alone in the corridor, Lotor stood up on his toes and brought his right hand up to the back of Sendak's neck to pull him down for a private kiss. It was full of passion and love as Lotor pressed himself up against Sendak, bringing them as close together as possible.

Sendak reciprocated instantly, bringing his prosthetic to Lotor’s back and pulling him even closer. When they broke the kiss, both of them breathing heavily, he cupped Lotor’s jaw, not willing to let go of him yet. 

“I love you,” he breathed. He still couldn’t quite believe it. Stroking his fingers through Lotor’s hair he brought their foreheads together. “I love you so much.”

"I love you too," Lotor murmured softly, "now and forever." He brought their joined hands, connected by the chain, up to their shoulder level before he carefully unlaced their fingers and brought his other hand up to the back of Sendak's head.

After a long moment, Lotor pulled his head back just enough to give Sendak an uneven smile. "Do you think we could skip the reception?" He chuckled at his own joking. "I want to skip the well-wishes and the questions and go straight to the best part of the night." He brought one hand to sensually stroke the side of Sendak's face, fingertips skimming across his cheekbone and then his jawline.

"Oh." Lotor's eyes widened with sudden recall. "Speaking of questions, everyone is going to be talking about your rather unconventional vows. You..." He shook his head disbelievingly. "You're... sharing the throne with me? I have to say, that really goes against tradition." His voice sounded lecturing and stern, but his expression betrayed how pleased he really was with this unconventional arrangement.

“I thought you were supposed to be the voice of reason,” Sendak said with a smirk as he leaned into Lotor’s touch. Then he smiled. “I was planning on asking you about it after the wedding, but I knew you’d say yes and...” He shook his head. “I never want anyone to think you’re just my consort. We are equals, Lotor, we always have been even if everyone refused to see it, and I will not have anyone calling you by a lesser title than mine. You deserve more than that, and I never could have done any of this without you. You’re my emperor, as I am yours.”

He smiled wistfully and out his hand over Lotor’s. “Besides, we have always been abysmal at following tradition. I thought it would be a shame to break such a perfect streak.”

Lotor chuckled and gave Sendak a quick kiss. "It's true, we always have been rather unconventional, but I wouldn't change that for the universe." His eyes were shining with joy and pride. "Thank you so much."

He laid his head against Sendak's chest, closing his eyes for a moment as he brought his hands to Sendak's shoulders to hold him close. "You have given me everything I've ever dreamed of – love, freedom, respect, power, joy – and yet asked for nothing in return, only whatever I want to give you. I meant every word of my vows. I never thought I would be able to have this kind of happiness, but now it's real. Thank you for everything, my love."

Sendak’s smile widened as he planted a kiss on the top of Lotor’s head and embraced him, mindful of the chain. 

“I’ve never asked for anything, because you’ve given me everything I could have wanted. Besides, while sharing the throne is something I would have done regardless; it doesn’t come without its perks.”

He tilted Lotor’s head up to look at him. “I get to see you sitting on a throne, for one, and I think that’s enough reason already.” He pressed a soft kiss to Lotor’s lips and let his fangs graze over them in a promise.

He didn’t let go of his husband even as he pointed out the inevitable. “We should go. They’re likely waiting for us,” he said but didn’t move. He wanted to stay here with Lotor or possibly head straight to their rooms, but they really should make an appearance at their own reception.

Lotor sighed and smiled wryly. "I suppose you're right. Since when are you the social-conscious one in this relationship?" He shook his head and gently extricated himself from Sendak's embrace. "I suppose we will simply have to be patient and make up for the waiting afterwards."

He took Sendak's hand and started heading toward the reception. Just as they rounded the corner to head down the corridor to the event hall, they found Acxa looking around, though she quickly locked eyes with them. "There you two are." She looked mildly annoyed. "Everyone's waiting on you."

"Our apologies," Lotor replied, not sounding apologetic.

Acxa led them into the reception hall where they were greeted with cheers. She quickly ushered them to the head table and had them sit down before sending Lotor a last stern yet soft look and making her way to her own seat. 

The chatter had barely returned to normal when Haxus stood and bade for the attention of the gathered guests. Sendak was eternally grateful for how accepting Haxus had been after Sendak had explained the situation even after years of seeing him at his lowest. He was a true friend and Sendak was glad to have him back. As soon as the attention had shifted to Haxus, he looked directly at Sendak. “My Emperor, I speak with complete honesty when I say that this is the most intelligent thing you have ever done in your life.”

Amusement swept through the crowd, and Haxus continued. “I remember, because I was the one you confided in about it, how you thought it was the biggest mistake of your life to consent to the first wedding. I listened to you speak about how the relationship between you and Lotor was nothing but a bitter rivalry, and then, over the course of a few months, I watched you perk up every time your husband entered the room. I watched you glower at the people who dismissed him, and I watched you smile even after he’d left to go do something else. I watched you love him quietly and _secretly_ for centuries, and I’m so happy for you that you’ve finally found each other. I know you will rule with wisdom and justice.” He met Lotor’s eyes with a smirk. “And maybe Sendak can help you sometimes.”

Raising his glass he squared his shoulders and smiled and Sendak mirrored him. “A toast. To a new era.”

Sendak offered the drink to Lotor first, smiling wistfully as he remembered how he’d tried to do the same at their first wedding but Lotor had refused.

Lotor accepted the glass graciously, taking a sip before offering it back to Sendak.

As Haxus sat down, Acxa stood up, taking a deep breath as she shot Ezor and Zethrid a look and waited for them to stop whispering. Once they'd settled down, she began her speech.

"I remember the first time Lotor mentioned Sendak to us." She gestured to Ezor and Zethrid. "All he said was that Sendak was a former ally who had betrayed his trust. That night, Ezor tossed out a bet that Lotor and Sendak used to be lovers. I thought she was crazy then, but now..." She shook her head, smiling at the couple.

Looking directly at Sendak, she said, "I was skeptical at first, even after Ezor told me what was going on. I thought that she was exaggerating about the two of you being lovers and that it was actually just some kind of political deal. I had a hard time believing that Lotor would ever trust anyone that much. But after seeing the two of you together, seeing how relaxed Lotor is around you, I believe it. Lotor is much better off now with you, and he's more relaxed than I've ever seen him." Her smile turned a little bittersweet, a little regretful. "Thank you for taking care of him."

She turned her attention to Lotor, and she raised an eyebrow at him. "Lotor, I never thought I'd say this, but it looks like you finally have someone who wholeheartedly supports your crazy ideas and irreverent attitudes. Don't be a dumbass and screw this up. If you two start fighting, all three of us are going to knock some sense into you both."

Picking up her glass, she held it out toward the couple, and Lotor mirrored the action. "To the happy couple. You two are perfect for each other."

Lotor offered the glass to Sendak first this time with a knowing smile.

Sendak smiled and took a sip from the glass before handing it back to Lotor. 

With that the food was served, and platter after platter found its way to the guests and to his and Lotor’s shared plate. This was one part of tradition that Sendak didn’t mind. He’d found it awkward at the first ceremony, but now he expertly speared a piece of meat and guided it to Lotor’s mouth with a smile on his face.

They’d eaten off the same plate much more often than he could count, though thievery was often involved. He smiled, recalling the way Lotor had leaned in and given him a kiss as he was reading a report, only to snatch some of Sendak’s midnight snack off his plate and sprint away before Sendak could grab him. He’d caught him, eventually, and demanded his due in kisses which Lotor had graciously given him.

Lotor accepted all of the food eagerly, and he offered Sendak just as much of it. All throughout the meal, he leaned against Sendak, constantly touching him in some way.

They quickly worked their way through the plate only to have it replaced for them with another. This second plate had more desserts on it, and Lotor savored each one that Sendak gave him and offered just as many in return.

Sendak couldn’t remember ever being this happy. He held on to Lotor’s hand more often than not. It was a soft and calm intimacy, as if they had all the time in the world. Sendak realized that they did, and it made his smile widen. 

His mood was soured somewhat when he caught sight of the Black Paladin – Shiro – making his way toward them. He kicked himself mentally. They were allies, and out of all the paladins Shiro was least deserving of his scorn. The peace talks had left something to be desired of the princess but Shiro was the perfect image of a polite ambassador. Maybe they should offer him a position once this was all over. He’d ask Lotor about it.

“Your highness–es.” He looked between them, gauging their reaction. “On behalf of the Paladins of Voltron, I extend my sincere congratulations to the both of you.”

Lotor squeezed Sendak's hand reassuringly before giving Shiro a diplomatic smile. "Thank you, Black Paladin. We appreciate your regards – you most of all, Shiro." His smile softened into something more sincere. "This would not have been possible without your help, and we are both grateful to you specifically for that."

Shiro relaxed visibly at Lotor’s words. A little of his formal facade crumbling as he smiled. “I’m happy for you.” Somehow his words rang much truer than his formal declaration. “Both of you.”

Sendak squeezed Lotor’s hand back and let a sincere smile onto his face. “Thank you. For everything,” he said. Shiro smiled and it made him look a lot younger, likely closer to his true age. He nodded and made his way back to his seat.

After Shiro left, a few more people stopped by to wish them well. Between guests, Lotor nibbled at the food, though he didn't seem hungry anymore.

Finally, once it seemed all the most important people had given them their regards and the reception was likely to just continue as it was going, Lotor leaned over and whispered, "Are you ready to go, darling?" His hand wandered up Sendak's thigh suggestively.

Sendak gave Lotor a hungry look and dragged his hand along the side of his waist. He’d been waiting to get the privilege to remove every piece of clothing on Lotor’s frame with care and gentleness. He grabbed Lotor’s wrist before his hand moved any further. 

“I suppose it is only traditional for the newlyweds to leave the feast early,” he said with a smile. Standing from his chair he held his hand out for Lotor to take. “Shall we, my husband?”

"Indeed we shall." Lotor smirked as he accepted Sendak's hand and stood. As they walked out hand-in-hand, a few whistles and suggestive comments followed, but the newlyweds easily ignored them.

Soon enough, they reached the Imperial Suite, and Lotor smiled up at Sendak as they entered together. He looked around the quarters that they had been sharing for a while now and sighed contentedly. "Our home, my love. It's so wonderful to say that, 'home.'" He squeezed Sendak's hand and turned toward him. "Home..." His voice lowered. "...and alone together at last." His delicate fangs caught on his lower lip as his eyes were filled with love and desire.

Sendak smiled suggestively and bent down to cup Lotor’s jaw and capture his lips. Tonight wasn’t for frantic kisses and desperate touches, tonight they had all the time in the universe and he was going to kiss every inch of skin as he undressed him.

Breaking the kiss, he let his hand trail to the band on Lotor’s wrist. “May I?” He tugged it softly, playfully.

"Of course." Lotor held his wrist still and relaxed his hand as Sendak slipped the band off. He then brought both hands to Sendak's band and started to pull on it, looking to Sendak just to check before easing it off of his hand.

They carried the connected bands to a display case that had been prepared for this purpose. Lotor set Sendak's band on top of the velvet cushion inside and waited for Sendak to do the same before lowering the glass over them and securing it in place. The case had a fingerprint scanner attached to it so that it would only release its grip on the glass cover if Sendak or Lotor wanted to open the case, ensuring that their precious symbols of their union were safe.

With the bands and their delicate chain safe and secure, Lotor turned to Sendak again and smirked suggestively. "Well, shall we head to the bedroom, darling?"

Sendak took Lotor’s hands in his and began pulling him towards their bedroom. “As my emperor commands,” he said with a satisfied smile. He stepped behind Lotor once they entered the bedroom and pulled him against his chest, planting a kiss on his temple. He undid the clasp of Lotor’s cape and turned to put it neatly away. 

“I’m going to give you a kiss for every piece I remove, every jewel and clasp and pin that I find. I want to savor every second of this, my love.” He ran his thumb over Lotor’s cheekbone. “You look so beautiful.”

Lotor shivered a little at Sendak's touch, and his eyelids were low as he looked over his shoulder at Sendak. "That sounds lovely, but don't be a tease, darling." The corners of his mouth lifted in a sultry little smirk. "After all, I've already had to endure being so close to you, looking irresistibly handsome in your armor, all day long without being able to touch you..."

Reaching up over his shoulder, Lotor fingered the clasps on Sendak's cape. "Are you going to let me undress you in return, or are you planning to do all the work yourself, hmm? Either way, I look forward to seeing your outfit come off piece by piece."

“I think it is only fitting that we share the effort, wouldn’t you say?” He unclasped the cape flowing from Lotor’s waist and pressed a kiss to his right cheek before placing it with the other garment. 

Realizing the fastenings of his own cloak were slightly too high for Lotor to reach comfortably, he ran his hands down Lotor’s arms and got down on one knee, guiding his hands to his shoulders. He smiled up at him suggestively.

Lotor raised an eyebrow at him and shook his head. "I could reach just fine. I'm not that short." But he was still smiling, and he did as Sendak suggested, unclasping one side of the cords holding the cape. He carefully carried it away to hang it up, preserving the expensive fur.

Returning to Sendak, Lotor set to work on his upper armor, removing each piece with meticulous care. Once all of the armor pieces from his waist up had been removed, Lotor ran his hands over the bodysuit underneath, and Sendak could feel the pressure of his touch through the thin material. Lotor smirked as he traced the outline of his muscles.

Sendak smirked back. “Is everything to your liking, Sire?” He stood and ran his hands down Lotor’s sides. He took Lotor’s hand in his and pressed a kiss to it as he removed his arm guard, repeating the process on the other side. He removed each piece of Lotor’s armor with a kiss, leaving him in nothing but his boots and undersuit. He didn’t touch Lotor’s hair. He wanted to see him in nothing but his delicate crown first.

"Very much so." His blue eyes traced over Sendak's body, lingering on the curves and bulges of the muscles there.

Lotor leaned into each touch and kiss, smiling indulgently. Once Sendak was done, Lotor resumed taking his armor off of him, pulling away all of the lower pieces until both of them had only their boots left. "It's about time we go to the bed," he purred suggestively. "Wouldn't you agree?" He made no move to walk there himself, instead watching Sendak expectantly.

Sendak gave Lotor an indulgent look and tilted his chin up, running his thumb over his bottom lip. “Certainly.” He put his hands on Lotor’s hips as he kissed him and pulled him flush against his body. Guiding Lotor’s legs to wrap around his waist, he lifted him up effortlessly. 

Carrying him over to the bed, he sat him down on the edge, breaking the kiss. Carefully he knelt before his husband again and pressed a lingering kiss to each knee as he removed the boots, keeping his eyes on Lotor the entire time.

Lotor chuckled softly, waiting until Sendak was done to grab the collar of his undersuit and pull him in for another kiss. As he kissed him, he pulled down the zipper of Sendak's bodysuit, bringing it teasingly low but not quite low enough. His hand, however, continued down to the bulge of Sendak's cock, and he rubbed it through the material.

Sendak groaned into the kiss, trying to keep himself from thrusting forward into Lotor’s grip. His delicate fingers were expertly moving over the fabric. He brought his own hands to the zipper of Lotor’s suit and pulled it down with shaking fingers and lightly tracing the exposed skin with his claws. 

Breaking the kiss, he carefully peeled off Lotor’s suit, bunching it up around his waist and pressing a kiss to the middle of his chest. “So lovely.” He thought of his aching cock that Lotor had brought to full hardness still inside the suit. “And so filthy,” he said with a smirk.

Lotor laughed. "Oh please, I can show you filthy another time." His smile softened into a loving look. "This right here? This is already the most romantic and sweet foreplay I have ever had."

With that, he reached for Sendak's suit again and pulled it off of him down past his hips, freeing his cock. He wrapped one hand around it, stroking lightly as he used his other hand to pull Sendak in for another kiss.

Sendak moaned against Lotor’s mouth, thrusting lightly into his touch. Without breaking the kiss he pulled the rest of Lotor’s suit off as well. He finally separated his lips from Lotor’s and took a step back, effortlessly kicking off the rest of his suit. Letting his eyes rove shamelessly over Lotor’s bare skin he exhaled quietly. “You’re breathtaking, my love.”

It was true. The delicate crown woven into Lotor’s hair gleamed in the dim light of the bedroom, and his earrings swayed. His lips were flushed from kissing and the faint makeup on his face only enhanced his beauty. He looked regal and radiant, proud yet soft and joyful. He was a mystery that Sendak would never quite solve, but he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his days trying.

Lotor appeared a little flustered, biting his lip as he looked up at Sendak through his eyelashes, and he took a moment just to look into Sendak's eyes before his own gaze traveled downwards again. His eyes were filled with desire, and his familiar smirk returned as he pulled away and repositioned himself in the center of the bed, looking over at Sendak expectantly.

"Come here, kariximi," he called to Sendak. Dearest one. It was a sacred term in ancient Galra tradition, not used lightly for just any lover.

Sendak smiled at him fondly and got onto the bed, crawling towards Lotor slowly. He was luxuriously draped over the pillows and Sendak couldn’t help kissing him once he reached him. He trailed kisses down his body, nipping softly at his jaw and neck and maintaining eye contact as he moved down his chest to his abdomen to the insides of his thighs. 

Holding Lotor’s hips down to keep him from bucking up, he looked directly at him as he licked a stripe along Lotor’s length.

Lotor inhaled sharply at the first touch to his cock, and he exhaled in a moan. As Sendak knew would happen, his hips tried to buck up, but Sendak's hands stopped them, and Lotor groaned.

Bringing his hands down to Sendak's head, Lotor carded his fingers through his long fur before tightening his hands into fists and lightly pushing Sendak's head down. "Don't tease me, darling."

Sendak swallowed Lotor’s cock down and hummed, hollowing his cheeks and swirling his tongue around. He looked up at Lotor. Tracing circles with his thumbs on Lotor’s hip bones he doubled his efforts, his eyes still fixed on his husband. _Like that?_

"O-oh..." Lotor moaned, tipping his head back. His grip tightened on Sendak's fur, and he held Sendak's head down for a long moment.

Then, with a low and drawn-out groan, he let go and even gently nudged Sendak's head back. "I-I'm too close. If you– I'm going to–"

Sendak pulled back and pressed a kiss to Lotor’s abdomen, avoiding contact with his cock. “It’s alright, baby. Tell me what you want,” he said softly, stroking Lotor’s side. “I’ll give it to you.”

"I want you in me," Lotor answered without hesitation. "I want to feel you filling me up." He reached over to one of the nightstands, where a large bottle of lube had been set out apparently in preparation for the couple's honeymoon, and he passed it over to Sendak. "I know you'll take good care of me. You always do. That's part of why I love you so much."

Sendak took the bottle with a kiss to Lotor’s hand and squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers. “Taking care of you is an honor and a privilege, my emperor,” he said and smirked as he toyed with Lotor’s rim before pressing a slick finger inside him. He’d never get sick of calling him that, his emperor.

Lotor smiled at the endearment and then moaned softly as Sendak began to finger him open. His rim tightened and loosened around Sendak's finger for a moment before Lotor relaxed. "Another," he requested, not quite demanding but not quite asking, either.

Sendak kissed a trail up Lotor’s body to the center of his chest and took his hand, interlacing their fingers. 

“As you command, my lord husband,” he said with a smirk and added a second finger, curling them slightly inside Lotor.

Lotor half-laughed, half-moaned. "You can – ngh – you can be so ridiculous sometimes." He brought his free hand to the back of Sendak's head, stroking him fondly.

Sendak leaned down and kissed Lotor gently, dragging his bottom lip along when he pulled back. “Only for you, my love,” he said and smiled softly.

His smile turned mischievous as he added a third finger and pumped them in and out of Lotor rhythmically.

"Ohhhh..." With a deep moan, Lotor’s eyelids fluttered shut, and he squeezed Sendak's hand. "Mmm, yes..." He bucked his hips up lightly against Sendak's hand.

Then, a needy whine slipped past his lips. "Love, please." He squeezed Sendak's hand again, and he stroked his head lovingly. "I want you inside me."

Sendak kissed him again, deeply, hungrily, and then rested his forehead against Lotor’s. “Alright.” He removed his fingers and slicked up his cock in the same movement. “Let me hear you.” He began sliding in slowly, looking at Lotor’s face the entire time.

Lotor groaned at the stretch, eyes closed and lips parted, expression caught somewhere between strain and pleasure. His eyes fluttered back open, and he looked up into Sendak's eyes as well as he could. " _Sendak_ ," he moaned, tightening his fingers in his fur.

The heat of him was amazing, and Sendak released a shuddering moan. He held Lotor’s hip up with his free hand, taking the strain off Lotor’s muscles. Giving him a moment to adjust, he left small kisses and nips along his jaw to the delicate arch of his collarbone. He hummed against Lotor’s skin. “You feel so good, love.”

Lotor brought his legs up and around Sendak's waist, pulling the two of them yet closer together. He rolled hips up, shifting Sendak's cock deeper into him, and he moaned softly.

Guiding Sendak's face towards his own, Lotor pulled him into a long, lingering kiss. As they pulled apart for air, he whispered, "Make love to me, darling."

He brushed his lips lightly over Lotor’s forehead. “As you wish.” He rolled his hips in slow and gentle circles as he returned to press his lips against Lotor’s. They were so soft and warm that Sendak felt he could lose himself in the taste of him, the feeling of their bodies touching. 

His pleasure slowly built as Lotor shifted around him, and he pressed their bodies closer together, moaning against Lotor’s lips.

Lotor rolled his hips to match Sendak's pace, creating yet more pleasure for them both. He kissed him eagerly, keeping his hand on the back of Sendak's head.

After a moment, panting softly, he murmured against Sendak's lips, "More, darling." He ground his hips upward just a little bit harder.

Sendak brought their interlaced hands to rest on the mattress and tightened his grip on Lotor’s hip, deepening his thrusts. 

“You’re so perfect,” he breathed. “So strong and unbreakable and yet so soft when you want to be. I love you.” He kissed Lotor again, squeezing his hand.

Lotor chuckled quietly, breath huffing against Sendak's lips. "And you are an absolute sap who loves making me flustered, apparently." But he kissed Sendak sweetly and lovingly, clearly pleased with the praise. "I love you too, kariximi, more than I could ever say."

Sendak brought their interlaced hands close and pressed a kiss to Lotor’s before letting it go and stroking Lotor’s cheek with the back of his fingers. He trailed down Lotor’s body until he held his hip firmly. 

He touched his forehead to Lotor’s and grunted as he thrusted deep into him, holding his hips in a way that still allowed Lotor to move against him, steadying him.

Lotor gasped and arched his back at the new sensation, bringing both hands to cling to Sendak's back. He bucked his hips, meeting Sendak's every thrust, and he moaned much more loudly than before, shameless in the privacy of their moment together. His hole twitched and tightened around Sendak's cock as if to try to keep it in him.

The sounds tumbling from Lotor’s lips were exquisite. Sendak loved it when he lost control of himself like that. His own pleasure was rising rapidly and he could feel Lotor’s need like a physical entity.

Leaving one hand on Lotor’s hip and moving the other to his back, he gently but firmly flipped them over so that Lotor was straddling him. Smirking, he rolled his hips upward.

Lotor gasped and then groaned at the change of position. As Sendak's hips rose, Lotor pulled his legs out from under them, kneeling on the bed to get more leverage while his hole still enveloped Sendak's cock.

With a large roll of his hips, he used his legs to lift himself almost fully off of Sendak's cock before sinking back down completely, inner walls dragging deliciously along his lover's entire length. He smirked down at Sendak, mischievous and teasing but also loving and fond. "You love seeing my strength, don't you?" he murmured in a low tone, bending down to whisper directly into Sendak's ear. "Just as I love yours."

Sendak inhaled sharply and brought his hand to the back of Lotor’s neck, running his thumb along the tip of his ear, down to his jaw. He felt his cock twitch inside Lotor. He did love his strength. Lotor was a lot stronger than his stature might have suggested. Sendak nodded breathlessly. He couldn’t even manage to form words with the way Lotor’s muscles squeezed around him. 

“Fuck, you’re incredible.” He thrust upward again, making sparks dance along his own vision.

The movement drew a loud moan out of Lotor, and he braced his hands against Sendak's chest as he ground his hips down even harder in response. He rode Sendak hard and fast, like their very first night together, full of eagerness and exploration. His expression flickered and shifted, looking overwhelmed one moment and in total bliss the next.

His moans grew louder, and his movements started to become erratic as his hole pulsed around Sendak's length. "Love," he panted, "I'm close." He opened his eyes to look at Sendak, but they fluttered shut again as he dropped himself onto Sendak's length again and again, nearly lifting off of it each time.

He felt incredible. Sendak could barely breathe as he guided Lotor’s face down to meet his again, bucking his hips upwards. 

He kissed him softly, sweetly, in complete contradiction of their fast and desperate pace. Feeling his own climax approaching, he increased the pace further, running his hands down Lotor’s body. “Don’t hold back, kariximi,” he breathed, a groan seeping into his voice.

Lotor moaned into his mouth, barely able to kiss back as he panted. Bringing his hands to Sendak's shoulders, he sank his claws into his thick fur.

"S-Sendak," he moaned, turning his head away to gasp for breath as his body tightened around Sendak's cock. A shudder ran through him, hips finally stilling as he clenched down hard. "Sendak!" Warm cum flowed over both their chests as Lotor climaxed.

Lotor’s clenching muscles finally threw Sendak over the edge and he yelled wordlessly as he climaxed. He gripped Lotor’s hips and opened his eyes to look at him, exhaling shakily.

“You’re so beautiful like this,” he breathed, drinking in the way the sweat gleamed on his supple skin, the way some of his hair was escaping his elaborate braid, the way his headpiece gleamed and the way his lips were flushed slightly.

Groaning softly, Lotor managed a tired smile, looking down at Sendak. Then, he buried his face into Sendak's neck, snuggling into him and lying limp and utterly relaxed on top of him. "That was perfect," he whispered breathlessly against Sendak's fur. "You are perfect."

Sendak held Lotor close and began purring involuntarily. “So are you, my love.”

He stroked Lotor’s back until his own breathing evened out, holding him close. Once he felt confident in his own ability to stand, he gathered Lotor up in his arms, planting a kiss on his forehead. “Bath?”

Lotor chuckled and snuggled into Sendak's arms. "You read my mind, darling. I was just thinking that a bath would be nice, a chance to relax and get clean before we dirty ourselves up again." He smirked a little, though he looked very sleepy.

Sendak smirked back at him and stood, making his way to the bathroom with Lotor cradled to his chest. The large basin didn’t take long to fill, and soon he was sinking into the hot water, placing Lotor into his lap and running his hands over his back. 

After failing to resist the ever-present urge to kiss him, Sendak began undoing Lotor’s braid gently. 

It was intricate so it took him some time to unweave all of it and remove the headpiece. He ran his fingers through Lotor’s hair, loosening it up. “You should wear crowns more often. They suit you, my love.”

Lotor chuckled, picking up the headpiece and holding it over Sendak's head for a moment to look at it. "Perhaps we should commission a matching set, then, because I think you would look very nice in one as well." He set it aside and then leaned in for yet another kiss, running his fingers through the long fur behind his ears.

Pulling back from the kiss after a moment and glancing again at the headpiece, Lotor hummed. "It may be impractical to wear such crowns for daily use, but if we are going to have some official statement about our shared title – which we should, to avoid confusion – perhaps we could wear them at that time."

Sendak held Lotor closer and smiled. “That is an excellent idea. We wouldn’t want anyone to misinterpret our intent.”

He appreciated Lotor’s political prowess, but he couldn’t take his mind off the way Lotor would look in a crown fit for an emperor. The mere thought made him bite his lip.

"Then I suppose I will need to sketch up a design, hmm?" Lotor relaxed against Sendak, laying his head on his shoulder. "I can get that done tomorrow, and we can have the crowns ready within a mere few quintants."

Sendak smiled and looked fondly at his husband. “That sounds perfect, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We commissioned this beautiful artwork from the lovely [barbitone](https://barbitone.tumblr.com/), who is a wonderful person and a joy to work with. Definitely check them out! They also have an [ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbitone/pseuds/barbitone) with their fantastic fics!


	12. Epilogue: Purple Flame

Today was a major event. Their marriage had been a couple of phoebs prior, and although the royal couple had spelled out quite clearly that Lotor was to be considered Sendak's equal in every way, many did not give him that same level of respect. Today would change all that.

The two emperors walked down the hall together, Lotor pulling Sendak along in his enthusiasm. Of course, Sendak knew exactly why Lotor was so excited. He had been working on the third Sincline ship over the past few phoebs, and it had finally been completed. Sendak hadn't seen it yet, and Lotor had told him last night that he wanted to show it to him.

Lotor squeezed Sendak's hand lightly and gave him a smile as they neared the hangar. "Alright, this one is a little bit smaller, so it won't look quite as impressive as the other two, but I think you'll still like it."

Sendak smiled fondly at Lotor’s enthusiasm. He’d never say it to him, but Lotor was adorable like this, his joy for the finalized project palpable. 

“You know I love everything you make, love,” he said as he allowed his husband to pull him along. 

_His husband._ It still felt strange to refer to Lotor like that and mean it for what it truly was. Lotor led him into the vast hangar that he’d claimed as his personal workspace and Sendak’s eyes widened. 

The space had changed since the last time he’d been here. Aside from the large assortment of individual fighter ships and disembarked engines scattered across the workshop in a logic only Lotor really knew how to navigate, there were three beautiful and elegant ships. 

Sincline. He could feel the presence in the back of his mind if he focused on it, the threads Lotor had woven tethering him securely to the vast consciousness. 

“It’s incredible,” he said, with no small amount of awe.

Lotor was beaming with joy as he pulled Sendak closer. "Isn't it? One comet, one ancient power, integrated into three interconnected ships. I set out to make Voltron's equal, but the inherent strength of connection between these ships is superior to the Lions of Voltron. These ships could combine with only one pilot in the command ship and no pilots in the others, though it should be stronger overall with a full crew of five."

Just then, Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid entered the hangar. Ezor walked ahead of the other two, waving enthusiastically. "Good morning, Emperor! And Emperor!" She made no indication of which order she was addressing them in.

Lotor chuckled. "Good morning to you as well, General, General, and General," he answered in kind with a pointed look.

Sendak nodded at them in acknowledgment and smiled. They’d warmed up to each other even more a few days after the wedding when the girls had cornered him and made it clear that he’d never be seen again if he hurt Lotor. It was the moment he’d begun to trust them fully. 

Placing his hand on Lotor’s shoulder, he leaned down and spoke in a low, conspiratorial voice. “That ship is yours, I presume?” He gestured at the new addition.

Lotor looked at the ship and smiled proudly. "Yes, the command ship. This one is the central link that allows Sincline to combine. It's smaller than the other ships and less versatile in combat, but it's faster and more agile."

He then looked up at Sendak a little bit apologetically. "It only takes one pilot. That was the best way to make the design work. I'll need you to be in the upper ship with Acxa."

Already, the three girls were climbing into the ships, not needing to be told where their places were.

Sendak grinned and tilted Lotor’s head up into a kiss. “As my emperor commands,” he said before leaving a brief kiss on Lotor’s lips and smirking. Softer, he added, “I’d better get going. See you soon.” He squeezed Lotor’s hand one more time before climbing into his designated cockpit. 

It was the one Lotor and he had shared during their trip to the meeting with the Voltron Paladins. He gripped the controls and jerked back for an instant. The sheer amount of input was overwhelming, mingling the consciousness of the comet with those of the pilots. 

It took him a moment to get used to it, but once he did, he could almost feel the others as if they were right beside him, closer even. As much as it was overwhelming, it was incredible. His mind felt more open, somehow, as if his consciousness had merged with the others’ rather than connecting to them. 

“Alright,” he said, opening the comms, still slightly out of breath. “Let’s do this.”

"Yes, indeed." Lotor's voice came through the comms, but it also seemed to resonate through the ship, almost as if the ship itself was speaking in unison with him. "Follow my lead."

Lotor's central ship lifted off, and the hangar doors opened to allow it and the other ships to pass through. He waited for a moment in open space for the other two ships to catch up before taking off again, leading the way to Feyiv.

Through the connection, Sendak could feel Lotor's bright determination, the mischievous mirthfulness that Ezor and Zethrid shared, and Acxa's calm, straightforward attitude. And mixed in with these and surrounding them all was the ancient entity of Sincline itself, which felt alien and strange but also oddly familiar. It did not radiate emotion the way the other pilots did, but there was a certain fondness that its presence conveyed somehow.

Lotor had truly outdone himself with these ships. The way they glided through the void of space effortlessly was unprecedented. Sendak hardly had to move the controls to pilot, the mental link doing most of the work for him. 

With the swiftness of Sincline, it wasn’t long before their destination appeared on their scanners. The journey would have taken days with a standard battleship engine. He could feel the immense travel speed, and it was exhilarating. 

Sendak smiled. “You never mentioned how much fun it is when you’re the one piloting rather than getting thrown around.”

Lotor's amusement was tangible through the connection between the ships before his laughing voice came over the comms. "I thought it would be obvious."

"He also takes great amusement from scaring others with his flying," Acxa added flatly.

"I suppose that could be considered a fair accusation," Lotor conceded, still sounding mirthful. "Now, are we ready to combine the ships? We're plenty close enough for everyone to see."

There was a ripple of approval even before they all expressed their assent and Sendak grinned. “After you, team leader,” he said. 

Lotor gave the command and instantly they were moving as one, a single consciousness divided into various parts. Sendak couldn’t tell where his thoughts ended and someone else’s began. It didn’t matter because they thought as one, moved as one. 

Before long he found himself positioned as the right hand of a fully formed Sincline. The connection became less intense than during the transformation itself, but it was still much more pronounced than within the separated ships. 

It was incredible. The Galra would be telling stories of this day for millennia.

A strong sense of pride radiated through their connection and through Lotor's voice as he spoke directly into their minds. "That was perfect."

They maneuvered together in perfect harmony to land behind the sacred steps, towering over even the platform at the top. Galra gathered at the base of the steps looked up in awe.

Ezor and Zethrid, being closest to the ground, exited first, followed by Lotor and then Acxa. As each left, their connection faded but did not disappear entirely, as it seemed Sincline was still bonded to them somehow.

Sendak followed them out, joining the others on the way to the torch brazier at the base of the steps. 

They left Sincline assembled at their backs deliberately. A reminder to the universe of what they had at their disposal. A show of strength, but also of their capacity to defend their subjects from harm. 

He took Lotor’s hand and nodded at him. Only one thing left to do now.

Off to the side, the three generals lined up, creating a notable display of strength quietly supporting the two emperors.

Lotor squeezed Sendak's hand as he nodded back, indicating that he was ready for Sendak to start.

Sendak looked out at the gathered crowd of military leaders, all here due to the summons of their emperor, gazing at him in anticipation. They were unaware of the exact reason for their presence but they knew it was important. An emperor did not summon his citizens lightly, least of all to a place as sacred as this. 

He let the tension rise a little further before he began. “Citizens of the Galra Empire.” His voice rang across the silent platform. “We gather once more under the light of the Kral Zera at the very heart of our empire. Although the Sacred Flame will not go out on this day, to be replaced with another, today we make history.” He paused, meeting the eyes of some of the gathered commanders. 

“For the first time in our recorded history, the Galra will follow two rulers of equal power. Two emperors.” He met Lotor’s eyes and smiled. “Today the flame brightens to symbolize the beginning of a new era, for each ally gained only makes us stronger.”

Letting go of Lotor’s hand he took the single torch that had been prepared out of the brazier and held it up for everyone to see before holding it out for Lotor to take, smiling at him. 

“To a new empire.”

Lotor accepted the torch with an equally bright smile, beaming up at his husband before turning to face his people.

"The Galra way has always been to prove oneself through one's own strength. We are all taught from a young age to see value only in might, to only respect people if they are strong.

"This attitude, this idea of individualism and self-sufficiency is what eventually brought our empire to its knees at the end of my father's reign. We are stronger if we work together and embrace our differences.

"This is why we are changing the tradition of only having one emperor. As two people, particularly two people who work together in harmony through the unity of the sacred bond of marriage, we can ensure stability of power and rulership. We have different strengths and skills, and together, we can be a better emperor than any one man could possibly be."

Having said all that, Lotor turned and began to ascend the steps.

Sendak looked out over their subjects, daring anyone to question their decisions. Once he was sure nobody would object, he turned to take the sleek case from Acxa, inclining his head, and began heading up the steps after Lotor.

Hesitating for a moment at the top, Lotor waited until Sendak was beside him before lowering the torch to the base of the flame. The purple fire flared up, glowing much brighter for a tick, and even after it settled down, it remained brighter than it was before.

Then, Lotor turned toward Sendak, smiling with satisfaction.

Sendak smiled back at him full of love and happiness. “My love, my emperor,” he whispered only for them to hear and stroked Lotor’s cheek. 

Lowering himself to one knee, he opened the box and held the contents out to Lotor.

Lotor pulled out the crown designed for Sendak, made of shining gold, and set it carefully on his head, adjusting its position to ensure that it would stay put. He then took the box from Sendak and turned to the assembly. "I present to you: Emperor Sendak! Bow to your emperor."

The whole assembly kneeled, and Lotor did as well, turning to his beloved before lowering himself onto one knee. He held the box out to Sendak with the smaller, silver crown still inside.

Sendak took the silver crown from the box, marvelling at the intricate craftsmanship. It was truly a crown fit for Lotor. Sturdy, yet elegant. Beautiful. 

He placed the crown on Lotor’s head, sliding the ends into his hair to keep it in place, and helped him up. “I present to you: Emperor Lotor! Bow to your emperor.”

He was the first to kneel, raising his hand to his chest in salute and looking up at his husband, pride shining in his eyes.

Lotor smiled back at Sendak fondly and perhaps just a little bit flustered, and then he adjusted his expression to one of pure confidence as he turned to face their people. His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for anyone who would dare stand, but none did. All of the assembly bowed to Lotor just as to Sendak.

After a long moment, Lotor gave the command to let everyone stand again, and he offered a hand to help Sendak up. His gaze flicked suggestively from Sendak's eyes to his lips.

Sendak stood and cupped Lotor’s jaw with his hand. Leaning down he captured his lips in a soft kiss. 

He couldn’t believe they were standing here together as he’d never dared hope they would. He pressed their foreheads together before taking Lotor’s hand and squeezing it. 

“To our empire,” he said softly.

"To our empire," Lotor echoed, eyes shining with joy and love as he returned the small squeeze to Sendak's hand.

Turning to face the assembly again, Lotor held up their joined hands for all to see. His three generals saluted, and the assembly followed suit, all of them acknowledging the authority of their emperors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this, whether you've been following chapter-by-chapter or you just found it all at once! An extra-special thanks goes out to those who have left kudos and comments. Your support has been very lovely throughout this whole process. Another special thanks goes out to our friends on Discord who have been supporting this project for the literal months we've been working on it. The community for this ship has really grown into something so supportive and lovely, and we're both very thankful for our fellow Lodak fans. <3


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